Athletes take AK to task over cash deductions
Silas Kiplagat (left) and Collins Cheboi during their training session for World Relay Championship to be held in Bahamas on May 20, 2014. Kenyan athletes who competed at the World Relay Championships in May in Bahamas have cried foul over the move by Athletics Kenya to deduct money from their winning purse ‘to meet expenses incurred in camp’. PHOTO | CHRIS OMOLLO |
What you need to know:
- Kenyan men and women won their 4x1,5000m events in a world record time of 14min,2.22sec and 16:33.58 respectively, with the men’s 4x800m team winning in 7:08.40.
- Members of the 4x800m team that won silver received a total of Sh2.7m for their effort. However, instead of each athlete getting Sh540,000, they got Sh450,000.
- Kenya set world records in men’s 4x1,500m final and women’s 4x1,500m races.
Kenyan athletes who competed at the World Relay Championships in May in Bahamas have cried foul over the move by Athletics Kenya to deduct money from their winning purse ‘to meet expenses incurred in camp’.
The 20 athletes who requested anonymity for fear of reprisal, said AK has never explained to them why they were not given full prize money. The athletes also said they have not been paid their bonuses.
Kenyan men and women won their 4x1,5000m events in a world record time of 14min,2.22sec and 16:33.58 respectively, with the men’s 4x800m team winning in 7:08.40.
The women’s 4x800m team came second behind USA, while men’s 4x200m team was fifth as Jamaica won in a world record time of 1:18.63.
MONEY DEDUCTED
The winning team took home an additional Sh4.5 million (USD $50,000) as bonus for breaking the world record on top of Sh4.5m (USD $50,000) for winning.
Speaking on behalf of the athletes, Professional Athletics Association of Kenya (PAAK) questioned why winners received Sh750,000 instead of Sh900,000 each. Each team had five athletes.
Members of the 4x800m team that won silver received a total of Sh2.7m for their effort. However, instead of each athlete getting Sh540,000, they got Sh450,000.
“Nobody has bothered to explain to the athletes why the amounts were deducted. It was rumoured that the difference was used to offset some expenses the team incurred in camp,” said PAAK organising Secretary Julius Ndegwa.
The athletes have wondered why they should pay for their expenses while in camp yet they were on national duty.
WORLD RECORDS
Ndegwa, accompanied by PAAK Nairobi region chairman Jacob Yator, demanded that AK refunds the money.
But AK treasurer David Miano said that as a tradition, AK has been deducting some money from the winning purse ‘to reward coaches who accompany athletes.’ Miano apologised to the athletes for the breakdown in communication.
“In such cases, we are left with a small percentage to revamp our kitty and run our programmes especially when we don’t have a sponsor,” said Miano, adding that a committee under AK vice president David Okeyo determined how much went to the AK kitty.
Kenya set world records in men’s 4x1,500m final and women’s 4x1,500m races.
