[PHOTOS] Athletics, volleyball teams to AAG kicked out of hotel due to unpaid fees

The national athletics team to the All Africa Games set for Morocco later this month has been thrown out of their residential training base at the Luke Hotel, along Thika Road, over unpaid accommodation charges.

An athlete who sought anonymity revealed they have been forced to camp at the hotel lobby awaiting action from the relevant bodies, including the government, through the Ministry of Sports, National Sports Council and Athletics Kenya.

"We found the rooms locked up and our bags throw out when we returned from training. Efforts to have the stalemate seems to have hit a snag as the hotel insist they must get their dues, which date back to 2017," said the athlete.

"I have seen Mutwii (Paul, the AK vice president in charge of competition) and Kisalu (Dimmy the AK deputy treasurer) around as they seek to sort out the matter."

However, the challenge of preparing the team to the continental games squarely lies on the umbrella federations, National Olympic Committee and the Sports Council.

Olympic javelin gold medalist Julius Yego pointed out on his Facebook page, while posting three photos of the desperate athletes, "Sometimes we get mad representing our beloved country Kenya! This is the state for us at St Luke’s Hotel."

"This is athletics and women's volleyball teams to All Africa Games later this month in Morocco. We have been chased away from the rooms because the hotel hasn’t been paid for accommodation and food! What really went wrong with management of sports! Lack of morals."

AK Nairobi Region chairman, Barnaba Korir, who is in charge of Youth Development confirmed the situation.

"We are here trying to see to it that our athletes do not sleep outside. We are not entirely responsible but how can we sleep when the situation is like this. We are quite a number here led by vice president (Mutwii), treasurer (David Miano), Coast chairman (Kisalu), CEO (Susan Kamau) and even Paul Bitok (whose volleyball team players have been thrown out too," said Korir.

He said, "Nobody from Sports Council and Nock has arrived yet, but the ministry has promised to sort this out as soon as possible."