Kenya is staring at an imminent ban by the International Olympics Committee following the disbandment of the National Olympic Committee of Kenya by Cabinet Secretary Hassan Wario yesterday.
The IOC stipulates a country must have a NOC to enable it participate in the Olympics and has in the recent past banned Iraq, Kuwait, Ghana and Panama for similar acts of such perceived “government interference”.
While announcing the disbandment, Wario cited the allegations of mismanagement surrounding Kenya’s participation at the 2016 Rio Olympics as his major drive.
“You are all aware of the troubles at Rio Olympics for our Team Kenya that has dampened the spirits and the pride of the people of Kenya,” said Wario.
“There was an alleged mismanagement of the facilitation for our athletes and the entire Team Kenya ranging from accomodation and travel mishaps, mishandling of the accreditation of the list of participants to the provision of sports kits that never reached the athletes as required.
“I hereby disband the (NOC) with immediate effect and transfer their responsibilities to Sports Kenya as the interim custodian, who will ensure the adoption of the new constitution, and setting of an election calendar.”
He also appointed a probe team that includes Paul Ochieng, Japson Gitonga, Ibrahim Hussein, Charles Nyaberi, Moses Kiptanui, Moses Mbuthia, Elizabeth Olaba and Rose Tata-Muya.
Wario refused to field questions from journalists on how the list was arrived at especially after a Parliamentary Departmental Committee on Labour and Social Welfare found the leadership of Nyaberi at the 2011 All Africa Games in Mozambique questionable.
Nyaberi is the Kenya National Sports Council (KNSC) treasurer and
former Kenya Volleyball Federation (KVF) vice-chairman.
However, Francis K Paul, the NOC secretary general, dismissed Wario’s move saying he had no mandate to do so and it amounted to government interference, putting the country at loggerheads with the IOC.
“I don’t think the cabinet secretary has the powers to disband the National Olympic Committee as this will be termed as government interference which means we could be banned by the IOC,” said Paul.
“We will first inform the IOC and then move to court, if necessary.”
He said the country should wait for their official report and the moment we do that, you will see the difference.
“You might find that we are not in the wrong. We have a list of all the uniforms that were received and those that were distributed and to who.”
He added: “It was the responsibility of the government to ensure the athletes and team management had tickets and even chose the route to Rio (via Luanda, Angola).”