Heads roll following Olympic fiasco after government disbands committee

Hassan Wario, the Cabinet Secretary for the Ministry of Sports, Culture and the Arts, at a media briefing in Nairobi on August 25, 2016. He disbanded the National Olympic Committee Kenya. PHOTO | MARTIN MUKANGU | NATION MEDIA GROUP

What you need to know:

  • Cabinet Secretary Hassan Wario’s announcement and National Olympic Committee Kenya’s (Nock) rejoinder leave country asking more questions on what exactly transpired in Brazil.
  • Government and Nock engage in blame game over farce.

Heads began rolling on Thursday following the Rio fiasco after the government disbanded the National Olympic Committee-Kenya and appointed a team to investigate the scandal.

However, the announcement by Sports Cabinet Secretary Hassan Wario was immediately dismissed by NOC-K Secretary-General Francis Paul, who said the government lacked powers to disband his team.

Dr Wario’s announcement and the committee’s rejoinder left the country asking more questions on what exactly transpired in Brazil.

The government and NOC-K engaged in a blame game over the farce, which saw athletes miss training and kits, air tickets and accreditation to the Olympic Village while officials carried with them a host of joyriders fully paid for by taxpayers.

“I started hearing these things while I was still in secondary school and I must say enough is enough. It is time to give red cards,” said Dr Wario, while flanked by Sports Kenya CEO Gordon Oluoch and Mr Paul.

He also put other sports associations on notice if they failed to put their act together.

Dr Wario set up a committee to investigate the issue and present a report by September 30.

Among the members of the committee are former Boston Marathon winner Ibrahim Hussein Kipkemboi, former Olympic 3000m steeplechase champion Moses Kiptanui and former national volleyball official Charles Nyaberi.

Others are famous sportswomen Rose Tata Muya and Elizabeth Olaba and sports officials Paul Ochieng, Japson Gitonga and Moses Mbuthia.

In the meantime, the mandate of NOC-K will be handled by Sports Kenya, a State entity and whose officials were also part of the Rio delegation.

The announcement appeared to have caught Mr Paul by surprise and he could only listen as Dr Wario heaped blame on NOC-K for all that went wrong in South America.

“NOC-K provides equipment, transport, accommodation and insurance...They have...exclusive authority over the kits, even the colour of ceremonial uniforms,” the CS said.

‘ASKED THEM’

“I attended some of their meetings before we left for Rio and asked them ‘Is everything right’ and they said ‘Yes’, ‘Are the kits ready?’ and they told me ‘They will arrive in a week’s time’, ‘Are the tickets ready?’ and they said ‘Yes’.”

Dr Wario walked out of the conference hall immediately he finished reading the release, giving journalists no chance to field questions.

Mr Paul blamed the government for the ticketing mess, saying it was the one responsible for travel arrangements.

On Thursday, Team Kenya’s overall captain and Cherangany MP Wesley Korir took to social media to complain that he and other athletes were stranded in Rio, living in filthy conditions.

Mr Paul was quick to blame the government for that.

“They are the ones who booked the athletes’ flights yet they knew the Olympic Village would close on Monday,” he said.

He maintained that NOC-K officials would remain in office and seek direction from the International Olympics Committee.

“He cannot disband NOC-K. We are not a parastatal. We will not leave,” he said.

Mr Paul added that NOC-K may also challenge the minister’s decision in court.

“In the alternative, IOC might ban Kenya from future Olympic games for interfering in NOC-K’s mandate,” he warned.

Mr Paul appeared to confirm widespread reports that top government and NOC-K officials carried joyriders to the games when he admitted that his son was part of the delegation.

“The rules allow every NOC-K official to take a guest to the games. I took my son but paid his entrance fees and shared a room with him,” he said.

Dr Wario who has been accused of taking three joyriders to the games, including his bodyguard, did not address the matter.

He maintained that only the head of the mission Stephen Arap Soi, could explain who was in the travelling party and their roles.

“I have a list of 177 developed by the Steering Committee. The Chief de Mission knows who is on the list and what they were doing there,” he said.

Mr Paul was unable to answer questions regarding NOC-K’s failures.