Ball now on Wario’s court as Rio probe report completed
Ministry of Sports Culture and the Arts’ Cabinet Secretary Hassan Wario (third from left) receives the Rio Olympics probe report from the investigating committee’s chairman Paul Ochieng in the ministry’s Nairobi offices on October 28, 2016. Others in the picture are probe committee members (from left) Ibrahim Hussein, Elias Makori, Jedidah Nthenge (secretary) and John Njogu. PHOTO | COURTESY |
What you need to know:
- Ochieng committee hands over findings to Cabinet Secretary, calls for quick action
- Investigating chairman discloses that one government official has refunded allowances paid unprocedurally for Games
The 2016 Rio Olympic Games Probe Committee report has addressed lingering questions and unearthed the truth behind controversies surrounding Team Kenya’s preparation and participation at the Rio Olympics.
The report, that was handed over to the Cabinet Secretary for Sports Hassan Wario, has delved into details on the serious management inadequacies and financial impropriety that might have impeded what would have been even greater performance at the Rio Games.
The chairman of the committee, Paul Ochieng, said that his committee is happy that some individuals who were paid irregularly have since reimbursed the public funds following disclosures by his committee.
“We thank them for acting in honesty and in national interest and we call upon others to act in similar stride and in appreciation that the Republic of Kenya is bigger than any individual.
“This report answers many questions that have been out there in the public domain and goes on to shed light to various controversies surrounding Kenya’s preparation for and participation in the Rio Olympics,” said Ochieng.
Ochieng could not reveal more details saying it’s now the prerogative of Wario, who appointed the committee, to study the document and divulge its contents besides adopting the way forward for Team Kenya based on the recommendations.
Wario will now have a few days to study the report before making it public in the next one week.
“Our recommendations are in great details and I would not like to jump the gun at this but present the report to Wario,” said Ochieng.
Ochieng noted that the committee’s work has not conflicted with the current court cases involving the National Olympic Committee of Kenya (NOC-K) officials.
Chef de mission Stephen Soi, NOC-K secretary general Francis Paul, NOC-K treasurer Fridah Shiroya and general team manager Pius Ochieng are among the Team Kenya officials who are arrested upon arrival from Rio and later charged in court.
“Our mandate was not to prosecute those found culpable, but rather to help make recommendations on how to better handle Team Kenya’s future preparations for and participation in major international sporting competitions,” Ochieng explained. “We have been careful not to act ‘sub judice.’”
Ochieng said that in the course of the committee’s sessions, a number of government and federation officials, elite sportsmen and sportswomen along with sponsors, NOC-K executives, media and other key stakeholders were interviewed and gave their observations, assessment and recommendations.
During its work, the Probe Committee visited Team Kenya’s pre-Olympic training camps in Nandi, Uasin Gishu and Elgeyo Marakwet counties and also the track and field trials venue at the Kipchoge Keino Stadium, Eldoret.
“The committee would like to thank our sportsmen and women, their coaches and the honest officials for pulling off Kenya’s best ever performance at the Olympics despite the glaring management inadequacies,” said Ochieng, who also commended individuals, who heeded the committee’s summons to give their invaluable insights that would help Kenya grow into a stronger sporting nation.
The Rio 2016 Olympic Games Probe Committee was formed by Wario on September 9, 2016, to look into various issues regarding Kenya’s preparation and participation in the Rio Games.
