The 11th edition of the Mombasa Open Tong-IL-Moo-Do International Martial Arts Championship has been pushed forward by two days due to delays in funds disbursement from the government.
The tournament which was to kick off on Friday at the Agha Khan Academy Mombasa, will now commence on Sunday and end a day later.
Kenya Tong-IL-Moo-Do federation chairman master Clarence Mwakio expressed optimism that despite the delay, they will host a world-class event.
“As of today evening (Thursday) we have not been able to receive the sponsorship we were expecting from the Ministry of Sports through the Sports, Arts and Social Development Fund,” said Mwakio.
“However, we are in talks with the government through the Cabinet Secretary and Principal Secretary who have given us tremendous support to reach where we are.”
The federation had requested Sh250m to prepare the event as well as facilitate the national team, Jasiri. The government advised that the kitty be scaled down to Sh100m, which is yet to be disbursed.
This forced the organisers to call for a meeting involving the world governing body, where the rescheduling was agreed upon.
“It was a very difficult decision to make. All teams were set for competition on Friday.”
The delay, he said, affected the delivery of safety and technical equipment as well as flying in international officials — an important part of the championships as per set regulations.
“Mombasa Open is a world championship event and it is a requirement that we have at least 40 per cent of foreign officials,” he said.
Despite the challenges, several teams had already arrived in the country for the competition including Japan, Paraguay, India, Congo DRC and Zimbabwe.
Meanwhile, World Tong-IL-Moo-Do Federation (WTIF) president grand master Takamitsu Hoshiko lauded the Kenyan government for their continued support for the last 10 editions. He said Kenya remains key in the growth and development of Tong-IL-Moo-Do in Africa.
“This is a very important tournament for us. It gives us a chance to meet and discuss as we seek to promote the sport in the world,” said Hoshiko.
The founder of the sport, Joon Ho Seuk, is expected in Kenya on Saturday.
12 counties have taken up the sport, which has been played in Kenya for 35 years, even as the federation seeks to roll out the sport in all the 47 counties by the end of 2025.
