Kenyan federations urged to embrace science ahead of Los Angeles 2028

The National Olympic Committee of Kenya (NOC-K) convened a three-day conference for federation presidents and secretaries to map out the road to 2028 Summer Olympic Games to be held in Los Angeles, USA.

The seminar is geared towards ensuring that federations begin early preparations so Kenyan teams can not only qualify but also excel. It marked Kenya’s road to LA 2020 where they will be looking for an improved performance from Paris 2024 as well as see more representation and team sports in the competition. Rugby and volleyball are only team sports that have been regular in the Games.

Ministry of Youth Affairs, Creative Economy and Sports Cabinet Secretary Salim Mvurya reiterated the government’s commitment to support sports.

“The President of the Government of Kenya is very clear on the vision he has for this country in matters of sports. It is a vision with clarity because we are matching it with investment. We are investing in 30 sports stadia across the country within a year because we want to decentralize sports and have talent nurtured from the grassroots level," Mvurya said.

He underscored NOC-K and federations’ role in helping the government achieve the vision.

“You must create an enabling environment where talents can be nurtured for this vision to be realised. We have to reset our minds and attitudes to make this happen,” he added.

He also raised concerns over the doping menace revealing that they are working on ensuring that Kenya through the Anti-Doping Agency of Kenya (ADAK) meets the global requirements. 

Jubilee Holdings CEO Dr Julius Kipng’etich urged federation heads to get things right from the onset by putting their houses in order.

“The biggest problem we have in sports federations is poor leadership, politics and ego overshadowing the purpose and standard operating systems. You must have clearly defined goals and have the discipline to execute them,” Kipng’etich said.

He called on federation bosses to build for the future by developing their respective sports and for long term success.

“Quick fixes and self-interests are also a major problem that must be dealt with. Long-term thinking and planning are key in building a solid foundation that our sports can run on for years. Without that we are not going to make progress hence hindering the success of our athletes and sports,” he added.

Kipng’etich challenged NOC-K and federations to invest in science and technology to enhance performance.

“Kenya is not short of talent but sports is not what it used to be due to advancement in science and technology. Other countries have embraced this development and they are reaping big. NOC-K and federations must invest in science and technology and do extensive research so we don’t lag behind. We must aim for the highest level of excellence.”

He emphasised that sports federations should collaborate with government, corporate as well as local and international institutions for the growth of sports in the country.

His sentiments were echoed by NOC-K president Shadrack Maluki as he termed the hosting of the seminar timely after a closely contested elections.

"It's evident from the government's perspective, it's time for us to embrace science and technology. That's the only way we will compete strongly with the best teams in the world," said Maluki.

"This seminar has come at a right time to unify us after a very heated elections. We want to work together as federations and achieve the goals as a united body. We are looking forward to having more of these sessions."

Sports Registrar Rose Wasike called on federations to put their houses in order and ensure that they are compliant. She also revealed that in addition to infighting among warring factions in some federations, others had blatantly refused to hold their elections making them noncompliant. 

“We have many pending cases of federations that are yet to be registered because they have not met all the requirements. Some have not held their elections and refuse to do,” Wasike said.

Chairman of the Sports Disputes Tribunal (SDT) Benard Murunga urged federations to utilise available internal disputes solutions mechanisms as well as make them affordable to their members. 

“The reason why the SDT was established was to have sports disputes handled by people who understand sports law and that's why the courts refer sports related cases to us. But I think federations should first try to solve their issues through internal mechanisms before seeking our intervention," said Murunga. 

Articulating athletes’ interests and need to be heard Olympians Ferdinand Omanyala (athletics), Faith Ogallo (taekwondo), Zeddy Cherotich (judo) and Vincent Onyala (rugby 7s) called for full support from their respective federations, NOC-K and the government. They also raised concerns over facilities as well as delay in payment of their allowances and bonuses.  

Football Kenya Federation (FKF) president Hussein Mohamed lauded NOC-K for the initiative.

“First of all, my hearty congratulations to NOC-K and the organisers of this event, it's an absolutely amazing input from the stakeholders in terms of sports and generally I think it’s what we have been waiting for a long time.  As FKF we are excited to leverage our interests based on the relationships we have with all institutions that are relevant in sports development,” Mohamed said.