Uhuru hands over flag to Team Kenya

President Uhuru Kenyatta hands over the national flag to Team Kenya athletes at State House, Nairobi, on July 22, 2016.

What you need to know:

  • Sports CS Wario says that more than 400 tests have been carried out on Kenyan athletes ahead of Games
  • President Kenyatta urges athletes to shun doping and compete clean in next month’s games in Rio de Janeiro

Compete clean and bring home the medals. This was President Uhuru Kenyatta’s message on Friday at State House, Nairobi, as he handed over the national flag to Team Kenya that will compete at the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro.

For the umpteenth time, the President revisited the thorny issue of doping that almost cost the team its participation at the Games.

“Kenya has a tradition of clean participation at the Olympics. I would like to urge all of you to avoid soiling our hard-earned reputation. I also encourage each one of you to rise to the occasion as all Kenyans will be following your performance closely,” President Kenyatta said.

The president’s brief to the team was to not only compete for the glory that comes with winning medals at the games but also to do so without getting implicated in doping.

Mentioning reigning Olympic champions Ezekiel Kemboi (3,000m steeplechase) and David Rudisha (800m) by name, the President expressed optimism that team will prevail in Rio.

“These guys don’t need to be doped for drugs to win. We know they can win. Just go out there and show the world what Kenya can do and do it clean. What is most important is not even the gold, our pride is more important,” he said.

BAN FOR ATHLETES

Coming in the backdrop of the rejection of appeal by 67 Russian athletes to have IAAF doping ban on them competing at the Games overturned, the issue of doping was bound to take centre stage at yesterday’s ceremony.

Sports Cabinet Secretary Hassan Wario said that more than 400 tests have been carried out on Kenyan athletes ahead of the Rio games with the results expected out next week.

“There had been a cloud of doubt on Kenya’s participation at the Olympics but today’s presentation of the flag confirms our athletes will compete with the rest of the world in Rio,” Wario said.

President Kenyatta lightened the mood of the athletes at the end of his brief speech when he declined an invitation by the National Olympic Committee of Kenya (Nock) chairman Kipchoge Keino to the Games.

“I would have loved to come with you, but these guys will say tourist amehama tena (the tourist has taken off again)!” to rapturous laughter from the guests in attendance.

Kenya will be represented by 185 athletes drawn from track and field, boxing, judo, swimming, archery, sevens rugby (men and women) and weight lifting at the August 4-21 Games. The first batch of athletes leaves on Sunday.