Royal snub looms large for Prince Charles as more Kenyans for Delhi
MOHAMMED AMIN | NATION
Kenya’s ‘Hit Squad’ boxing team members (from left) Peter Mungai, Elly Ajowi, Joshua Ndere, Michael Okwisa, Nicholas Okoth, Rayton Okwiri and Benson Gisharu flex their muscles while waiting for transport to Jomo Kenyatta International Airport on their way to India on Sunday. The boxers will compete in the Commonwealth Games to be held In Delhi next month.
What you need to know:
- Local boxing, table tennis teams leave but India faces protocol dilemma over who will open the big sporting event on their soil
India is yet to decide who will open the Commonwealth Games next Sunday, raising the possibility of a snub to Britain’s Prince Charles, who was expected to preside over the event, officials say.
This emerged as the third batch of Team Kenya that included table tennis players and boxers left the country on Monday for the ‘Club’ Games.
Led by the overall team manager, James Chacha, the expectant athletes promised improved performance with the table tennis players counting on a favourable draw.
Queen Elizabeth, who would normally open the Games as head of the Commonwealth, in May decided against travelling to India and has sent her son Charles in her place.
The move, which drew criticism in India, has led organisers to discuss whether the Indian President Pratibha Patil should instead open the Games in a move that would break with tradition and likely irk the royal family.
“The decision is yet to be taken,” the secretary to the Indian president, Archana Datta, told AFP on Monday.
The Indian ANI news agency quoted unnamed government and Games organising committee sources as saying it would be the president. No one from the organising committee was available to comment to AFP.
Play down any friction
An official in the British embassy in New Delhi sought to play down any friction, saying: “There’s no sense of a spat or battle. That’s genuinely not true. Who stands where and who says what is still undecided and now being finalised.”
The prince and his wife, the Duchess of Cornwall, will arrive in Delhi on Saturday and also visit Chandigarh and Jodhpur during a five-day tour.
Delhi 2010, the biggest multi-sport event to be staged in India since the Asian Games in 1982, will feature more than 70 nations and territories mainly from the former British empire.
Kenya’s table tennis coach Fahd Daim said his charges are ready to take Delhi by storm.
Fahd’s team has Anthony Mathenge, Derrick Inyanje, Pascal Mutinda and the only lady contestant, Valencia Cheptoo. Fahd and Mathenge reached the second round in Melbourne.
The boxing team of 10 have two bronze medallists from Melbourne – Black Moses Mathenge (light welterweight) and Joshua Ndere Makanjio (light heavy).
