State should aid teams
What you need to know:
- The government has done nothing to support the so-called smaller sports.
- The National Olympic Committee of Kenya has been of no help, choosing instead to continue with its age-old tendency of selective funding.
Sports Minister Hassan Wario has on many occasions stressed the need to focus on smaller sports if Kenya is to improve its medal tally at international competitions.
Similar calls have been made by the Deputy President.
However, that only seems to be on paper since the government has done nothing to support the so-called smaller sports.
The National Olympic Committee of Kenya has been of no help, choosing instead to continue with its age-old tendency of selective funding.
Kenya hosted the Africa Canoe Slalom Championship, which was used as a qualifier for the 2016 Rio Olympic Games three weeks ago in Sagana.
The government did not offer any support to the national team’s preparations despite appeals.
The paralympic teams have struggled to qualify athletes for the 2016 Rio Games without the government’s support.
Eight of the 10 shooters in the national team have sponsored themselves.
Some of the finest female shooters from the Kenya Defence Forces were left out.
This is demoralising, considering the time and effort these athletes have put in.
There is no national pride when the government cannot sponsor its athletes for international championships.
