Athletics Kenya moves to rein in rogue managers following athletes’ deaths
Athletics Kenya Secretary General David Okeyo (left) receives a cheque worth Sh4.7 million from Kenya Commercial Bank Deputy CEO Samuel Kimani on Wednesday. The fund will support the Athletics Kenya Cross Country series and the National championship to be held early next year in preparation of the 36th World Cross Country championships in Amman city of Jordan in March. Photo/ JOSEPH KANYI
Athletics Kenya has moved to rein in rogue athletes’ managers with a view to controlling the number of competitions in which Kenyan runners compete abroad.
Just three weeks after the death of a second Kenyan runner in Brazil, Athletics Kenya secretary David Okeyo issued a warning to all athletes intending to leave the country for international competition.
He said their agents must be registered with the association, have a valid contract with the runners and specify exactly what percentage of the prize money the competitors will take home from the competitions.
With the traditional year-ender Sao Silvestre road race lined up in Sao Paulo on December 31, many Kenyan runners are unlikely to travel to the Brazilian commercial capital following the new rules.
Kenyans have for long dominated the Sao Paulo race with last year’s title going to Ahmed Omar (Robert) Cheruiyot who won the 15km contest in 45:57 while Kenya’s Alice Timbilil also took the women’s title in 53:07.
“There are a new set of rules that we are introducing. After what happened (deaths of athletes) it becomes extremely important to know exactly what is happening so that we are not ambushed by an athletes’ family seeking to know the whereabouts of their people,” said Okeyo on Wednesday.
