KRU’s decision to cancel season goes against the spirit of competition
What you need to know:
- It would be very difficult to explain to someone who doesn’t passionately follow sport why a fan will, for instance, put aside everything else in the world just to view that live match on television, or go to the stadium to watch their favourite team.
“To one who has faith, no explanation is necessary. To one without faith, no explanation is possible,” said Italian theologian and philosopher Thomas Aquinas many centuries ago.
To that I add: To those who love sports, no explanation is necessary why you do. To those who don’t understand why you love sports, no explanation is possible.
It would be very difficult to explain to someone who doesn’t passionately follow sport why a fan will, for instance, put aside everything else in the world just to view that live match on television, or go to the stadium to watch their favourite team.
For players, it is even deeper. I remember many years ago when I used to live, breath and sleep rugby. My sisters would never understand why I kept on going back to the game as soon as I had recovered from yet another injury. No explanation was possible. This was deeper than love. Now, how do you explain that?
The thrill of play and the pleasure of winning keeps us coming back for more sports. And we talk endlessly, fervently when we meet the following day about last night’s game, the upcoming match, the records broken, the missed chance to attain glory…
What is my point? Teams and fans invest so much time, effort, money and emotion in a sport with the ultimate goal of winning, that when they are denied victory unfairly it strikes right at the core of why we engage in sports.
That is why I was so shocked by the decision made by Kenya Rugby Union (KRU) on Friday to cancel the entire 2019-2020 Kenyan rugby season that was in its last quarter.
UNSPORTING DECISION
For avoidance of doubt, KRU secretary General Ian Mugambi succinctly stated that there would be no promotion or relegation of teams in all the leagues run by the union that season.
This certainly was one of the most unsporting decision I have ever come across in Kenya.
Yes, we have the unprecedented coronavirus pandemic raging that has seen almost the entire world in some form of lockdown or quarantine, but cancelling the results of a season that was nearing completion is simply inexplicable. Why not reschedule or agree on how to pick the winners?
The elite Kenya Cup was entering the semi-final stage, with in-form Kabras Sugar already scenting a rare championship win and KCB intent on defending their crown.
In the second division, the KRU Championship, Strathmore University Leos were on the brink of wrapping up the title with the juicy reward of promotion back to Kenya Cup. What of Masinde Muliro University? They were lying second and well on course to gain their first ever entry into top flight Kenyan rugby action. A board decision has just invalidated the dreams of all these players and their legion of fans.
Did the KRU board look at decisions made by other – decidedly superior leagues, across the world? Let me help them out.
The English Premiership Rugby, and all other top national rugby leagues in Europe were suspended in March. This is what the European Professional Club Rugby said: “While respecting all further directives from governments and local authorities, EPCR, in conjunction with the relevant leagues and unions, remains committed to trying to find a solution that will enable it to complete the tournaments at such a time that aligns with preventative measures undertaken by an overwhelming majority of sports governing bodies and tournament organisers in Europe.”
When the Belgian top football league, the Belgian Pro League, declared their suspended season over on April 2, the governing body of European football, Uefa promptly called the decision "premature" and "unjustified" and threatened to deprive Belgian clubs of places in European competitions next season.
At least for the Belgian Pro League, clubs were due to vote on the decision to end their league.
Were KRU to give the clubs - and the fans too - a say in deciding the fate of the 2019-2020 league, I am sure they would have overwhelmingly agreed for it to be played, on the field, to its logical conclusion, whenever that would happen. That is the sporting thing to do.
