Invest your money wisely, Kenyan athletes told

Local sportsmen and women need the right skills and tools to help them manage their resources to ultimately benefit them in retirement, Mali’s former international basketballer Kadiatou Tounkara has said.

Tounkara, who is in the country to conduct an Athlete Career Transition Programme, noted that most athletes squander their earnings from sports due to lack of knowledge and proper advice. Tounkara explained that lack of knowhow has left many athletes in poverty after squandering their earnings.

Tounkara was speaking on Friday during the opening of a two-day International Olympic Committee (IOC) workshop aimed at helping sportsmen and women make a smooth transition in their careers.

Tounkara, who was the co-captain for Mali women’s basketball team at the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games, said outreach workshops organised by International Olympic Committee could help remedy the situation.

Tounkara said the workshop would empower athletes with skills of making a smooth transition from sports to retirement.

“After the seminar, these athletes will be able write their own curriculum vitae that will pass a job interview,” said Tounkara. “I hope they will be able to market themselves better and put out some of their skills and achievements.”

Tounkara said Kenya has some of the world’s top athletes who deserve good transition. She singled out National Olympic Committee of Kenya president Paul Tergat as a role medal for local athletes to emulate.

Close to 50 active and former athletes are taking part in the two-day workshop at Heron Hotel Nairobi. They are led by Nock athletes representatives Humphrey Kayange and Hellen Obiri.

“Kenya is so lucky to have Tergat as a good example of a man who has made the transition from active competitions to administration not only in sports but also as a Kenya Defence Forces officer,” said Tounkara.