NOCK failing to observe Olympic Games tradition

As Kenya’s Olympic team goes to State House, Nairobi, Friday to receive the national flag from the Head of State as is the tradition, the National Olympics Committee of Kenya (NOCK) is itself seemingly guilty of overlooking a very important Olympic tradition.

That of accrediting distinguished Kenyan Olympian’s to accompany Team Kenya to next month’s Games in Rio de Janeiro. It is a time-honoured Olympic tradition that member federations of International Olympics Committee recognise the place of those who graced with distinction past Games.

The principal role that these Olympians have is being assigned medal presentation duties. Traditionally, an Olympian will be called to present a medal to an athlete from their nation and often in the sports discipline that the Olympian took part in at previous games.

Thus at past Olympics we have seen among others Frankie Fredericks, Carl Lewis, Kipchoge Keino, Muhammad Ali, Nadia Comaneci and Sebastian Coe, chosen to present medals.

Unfortunately in Kenya’s case, only Keino and a few mandarins from NOCK have tended to hog the limelight for themselves, games after games! The situation is made worse on account of the fact that most, if not all of these officials, were not Olympians, but ride on Kenya’s Olympic success.

It is time we redressed this situation and it is not too late to begin with Rio. NOCK should take along at least five of our distinguished Olympians to Rio for the following compelling reasons.

In three track events, Kenya’s male athletes are on the verge of sporting immortality. These athletes are Brimin Kipruto, Ezekiel Kemboi, Asbel Kiprop and David Rudisha.

Rudisha is seeking an unprecedented second successive Olympic 800 metres title for Kenya. Kipruto is seeking to accomplish a similar feat in 3,000m steeplechase. Kemboi and Kiprop are each seeking a third Olympic title.

In the extremely likely event that these athletes emerge as champions, nobody and I repeat nobody else, would be worthy of the honour of giving them their historic medals, than those who opened the doors for them at previous games.

In this regard there is a strong case for NOCK to take to Rio distinguished Olympians Wilson Kiprugut, Daniel Rudisha, Amos Biwott, Paul Ereng and Henry Rono. Why? Second man to break the steeplechase record that thereafter stood for 11 years, Rono 64, would be the fitting person to give Kipruto or Kemboi their medals.

Biwott, 68, is the ‘father’ of Kenya’s fabled steeplechasers. The first one to win it at an Olympics. This in Mexico City during the Mexico ’68 Olympics.

In Kiprop's case, Keino, himself a double Olympic champion (once in 1,500m) should have that honour. Should it come to pass, Keino can of course defer to Rono or even President Uhuru Kenyatta, who may be in the stands in Rio.

In Rudisha’s event, that honour should go to either Kiprugut, Ereng or Daniel Rudisha. Kiprugut, 79, was Kenya’s first ever Olympic medallist. Fittingly this was an 800m medal, a bronze from the Tokyo ’64 games. Ereng, 49, completed at the Seoul ’88 Games.