Noc-K: Nike bonus payments are for the committee
What you need to know:
- The National Olympic Committee of Kenya (Noc-K) has said that Nike performance bonus payments for Olympic and Commonwealth Games are not meant for athletes.
- The committee’s executive officer Stephen Soi stated that the bonuses are a reward and compensation to Noc-K from their official kit provider Nike for having prepared athletes and teams for the above-mentioned competitions.
The National Olympic Committee of Kenya (Noc-K) has said that Nike performance bonus payments for Olympic and Commonwealth Games are not meant for athletes.
The committee’s executive officer Stephen Soi stated that the bonuses are a reward and compensation to Noc-K from their official kit provider Nike for having prepared athletes and teams for the above-mentioned competitions.
Soi clarified that Olympics and Commonwealth are different from World Championships, Grand Prix and Diamond League events where athletes have direct monetary benefits.
“I think we can only take blame for not having explained on our contract with Nike about the performance benefits,” said Soi. “The bonuses are not for the athletes but Noc-K.”
Athletes have lately demanded for the bonuses with medallists from the two championships calling for a review of the Nike contract.
From the Nike and Noc-K contract running between 2013 through to 2020, Noc-K is supposed to have received $87,500 (about Sh8.84 million) for the 2014 Glasgow Commonwealth Games and $140,000 (Sh14.14 million) for Rio Olympic Games performance.
Kenya got 25 medals from Glasgow Commonwealth Games; 10 gold, 10 silver and five bronze. Rio Olympics came with 13 medals; six gold, six silver and one bronze.
The contract stipulates that Nike will pay Noc-K the performance bonuses within 60 days of the Kenya body writing to them.
If, at the end of each contract year, Noc-K has not submitted written confirmation to Nike of bonus earned during that contract year, the committee shall forfeit the performance bonus payments.
Soi was speaking during a media tour of the Noc-K headquarters that are under construction in Upper Hill, Nairobi.
He further said that they cannot comment on a Rio Olympic probe report that is yet to be released.
“We just can’t go on speculation on a report that is yet to be released,” said Soi, who was accompanied by Noc-k secretary general Francis Paul and treasurer Friday Shiroya. “It’s only fair we wait and know what we shall be reacting to.”
