State to review Team Kenya’s steering committee for Olympics

The Steering Committee for Team Kenya for the 2020 Tokyo Olympic Games will be reviewed.

At the same time, the government has put National Olympic Committee of Kenya (Nock) in charge of Team Kenya’s ticketing for 2020 Olympic Games due from July 24 to August 9 in Tokyo.

Sports Cabinet Secretary Amina Mohammed on Sunday said the new Steering Committee will have clear rules and responsibilities with special places going to sports that have qualified.

Amina said the government and Nock will come up with a list of relevant personnel to join the Steering Committee that will meet once a week.

"We shall immediately publish the names of those who will make the Steering Committee. It will include those relevant to the Olympics and also events Kenya will take part in," Amina said on Sunday after a closed-door meeting with Nock’s top brass at Vipingo Ridge in Kilifi.

Amina was accompanied by Nock president Paul Tergat, his deputies Shadrack Maluki and Waithaka Kioni, and acting secretary-general Francis Mutuku. Kioni is Team Kenya’s Chef de Mission for 2020 Olympics. Also present at the briefing was Sports Principal Secretary Joe Okudo.

Amina said Nock should exercise its mandate transparently by providing the list of athletes and the technical team that will travel to Tokyo. She noted that Nock is better placed to handle the team's travelling arrangements.

"We picked on Nock to avoid a repeat of the debacle that affected Team Kenya in 2016 Olympic Games. I hope they will get the tickets at a reasonable cost and time so that the government doesn't spend a lot of money," said Amina.

Amina told Nock officials to ensure that Kenya's residence at the Olympic Village is well secured and that the facilities at the pre-Olympic camp in Tugume City in Fukuoka are in place.

"I want all hotel bookings for the rest of Team Kenya members done on time so that we are not locked out of Tokyo," said Amina.