Tuwei assures IAAF delegation of security
IAAF Director of Communication Jackie Brock-Doyle bids farewell to Athletics Kenya President Lt Gen (rtd) Jack Tuwei on December 7, 2017 when she paid a courtesy call on Tuwei at Riadha House. PHOTO | CHRIS OMOLLO |
What you need to know:
- Kenya won the bid to host the IAAF World Under-20 Championships following a largely successful IAAF World Under-18 Championships held in 2017 with a record turnout of over 60,000 fans attending the event at the Moi International Sports Centre, Kasarani, on the final day of action alone.
- The visit by the IAAF delegates also follows several local meetings by the event’s secretariat. “We have held several meetings just to strategise,” said Tuwei.
Athletics Kenya President Lt. Gen. (Rtd) Jackson Tuwei Tuesday night moved to assure a delegation from the International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF), that has arrived in Nairobi to assess progress made by Kenya ahead of the 2020 World Under-20 Championships, that they will be guaranteed maximum security.
Speaking against the backdrop of the terrorist attack on Riverside Drive in Nairobi on Tuesday, Tuwei said the meetings between Kenyan officials and the delegation from the IAAF's Monaco headquarters will go ahead as planned.
"I'd like to assure all that security in all aspects has been taken care of and the meetings will take place. There shouldn’t be any panic," Tuwei, who retired as Commander of the Kenya Army in November, 2010, said.
Athletics Kenya (AK) public relations officer Evans Bosire disclosed that the IAAF team of 14 will have day-long meetings Wednesday and Thursday with the Ministry of Sports and heritage along with AK.
An IAAF Council session on July 26 in Buenos Aires, Argentina, picked Nairobi as the host city of next year's IAAF World Under-20 Championships planned for July 7 to 12.
The delegation that arrived in batches on Monday and Tuesday, includes IAAF's Head of Event Operations Toni Jorba, Executive Director of Communications Jackie Brock-Doyle, and Chief Information Officer Dang Duy along with technical delegates Gemma Castano and Imre Matrahaz.
Others include IAAF Platforms and Distribution Operations Manager Frederick Sanchez, Mark Fulton, who is the Executive Producer for IAAF Productions and the IAAF's Head of Competitions Luis Saladie.
The IAAF delegation will hold meetings with Sports Cabinet Secretary Rashid Echesa, Principal Secretary Kirimi Kaberia, and AK executives, led by President Tuwei.
"This visit is extremely important for Kenya and will effectively kick off an extremely important leg of our preparations to host yet another successful global competition," said Tuwei.
Bosire indicated that the delegation will also address a press conference touching on their visit at a time and location to be confirmed.
Kenya won the bid to host the IAAF World Under-20 Championships following a largely successful IAAF World Under-18 Championships held in 2017 with a record turnout of over 60,000 fans attending the event at the Moi International Sports Centre, Kasarani, on the final day of action alone.
The visit by the IAAF delegates also follows several local meetings by the event’s secretariat. “We have held several meetings just to strategise,” said Tuwei.
