Tough luck for Olympics hopefuls as AK issues new guidelines after pre-trials

Athletes who attain the qualification mark for the Tokyo Olympics may not realise their Olympic dream if their names were not submitted by Athletics Kenya to the Local Organising Committee in Japan. 

AK's director of competition, Paul Mutwii, said the federation had earlier submitted the names of all probables to the LOC from where they were accredited. 

"We had sent the names of the probables to the LOC in Japan to be accredited ahead of our Olympics trials. If anyone of them who was not in the probables' list attains the qualification mark, there is nothing much we can do because they have not been accredited. Athletes who we have invited to the pre-trials and the trials are those in the list of the probables," Mutwii said. 

Mutwii further said all athletes competing at the trials must have undergone three anti-doping tests outside competition, according to Athletics Integrity Unit's requirement. 

"Every athlete, who has been invited for pre-trials and the trials are those who are covered by this requirement. Even for the probables who may attain the qualification mark for Olympics must have undergone these three anti-doping tests to be eligible for qualification," he said. 

AK has so far invited over 400 athletes for the trials set for June 17-19 at the Moi Stadium, Kasarani. The event will double up as dress rehearsal for the World Athletics Under-20 Championships set for the same venue on August 17-22. 

Before the trials, the federation has planned a pre-trial camp for the athletes to physically prepare them for the battle ahead. 

"It will simply be an opportunity to tune up the athletes ahead of the trials so that they are physically ready. After the trials, the final squad will enter a residential camp to sharpen themselves further. We will decide on the location of the camp and inform you of the same," Mutwii said. 

Mutwii was among national federation officials who attended a consultative meeting convened on Monday by Olympics Kenya to take stock of preparations for the rescheduled Tokyo 2020 Olympics. 

Among the highlights of the meeting was that Team Kenya is set to depart for the Asian country five days before the opening ceremony and return to Kenya two days after the completion of the games. 

"This is a big logistics challenge but there is a finance and procurement committee constituted including NOC-K and government officials who are on top of this to make the best arrangements for the team.

"The delegation will also need to present a Covid-19 negative test and to download smart phone Apps for contact tracing (Cocoa) & Health Reporting App before arrival in Japan," Francis Mutuku, acting secretary general said. 

The delegation will also be required to adhere to more stringent measures outlined in the Tokyo Olympics Playbook Version 2 to counter the rapid spread of the virus in Japan.