Tergat could get challenger in Nock polls

Legendary long distance runner Paul Tergat could get a challenger for the National Olympic Committee of Kenya (Nock) presidency after the extra ordinary General Assembly on Tuesday called for fresh nomination process ahead of the September 29 elections.

Tergat was sole candidate for the presidency during the aborted May 5 election after incumbent Kipchoge Keino failed to get a proposer.

On Tuesday, Keino, who seemed to have gotten a lifeline, said he will defend his seat.

“The General Assembly has declared a fresh process and I will definitely defend my position,” said Keino.

The extraordinary General Assembly unanimously agreed that 20 federations will take part in the Elective General Assembly after it came up with the new dates for the process.

The elections were halted on May 5 this year following a High Court injunction filed by Kenya Taekwondo Association, who had been barred from participating.

Addressing the press after the meeting at Nock offices, Nairobi, Nock first vice president Ben Ekumbo said that Kenya Taekwondo Association, Kenya Cycling Federation, Kenya Badminton Association and Kenya Canoeing and Rowing Federation to take part in the new process.

However, the meeting that was chaired by Keino warned the four federations to sort out the wrangles in their respectively federations or risk missing out.

The move also goes against International Olympic Committee (IOC) directive that Nock Elective Assembly must continue from where it stopped with the same agenda in place hence no fresh nominations.

Ekumbo said that Centre for Multiparty Democracy (CMD) will be allowed to oversee the process but not to vet the candidates and determine membership as it did for May 5 process.

However, Nock assistant treasurer Stephen Soi said that even though they respected the IOC directive, Nock is guided by a constitution where the General Assembly's resolutions are supreme.

"We respect the advice by IOC but we are also guided by section 17.6 where the General Assembly determines whether a new process should take place or not," said Soi. "The previous nominations will stand but let those who wants to contest put in their nominations."

Ekumbo clarified that it's the current executive that will craft the rules for September 9 elections in collaboration with CMD. "Members will then be allowed to scrutinise the rules before elections are held," said Ekumbo.

Each of the 20 federations will have one vote besides the three delegates who have direct voting rights; IOC member Paul Tergat, athletes representative Tegla Loroupe (women) and women representative Paurvi Rawal.

The federations that will participate in the elections are Athletics Kenya, badminton, basketball, boxing, cycling, football, golf, handball, hockey, judo, lawn tennis, taekwondo, swimming, table tennis, rugby, weightlifting, wrestling, shooting, volleyball and canoe and rowing.