Tuesday 24 November 2015

Athletes storm Kenyan federation HQ in leadership protest


The headquarters of the Kenyan athletics federation has been stormed by athletes protesting against the organisation's leadership.

Athletes bearing placards took over the Riada House offices on Monday morning and that police were in attendance.

Pictures in the Kenyan press show protesters with placards calling for outgoing Athletics Kenya president Isaiah Kiplagat and vice-president David Okeyo to quit. The athletes also blamed the officials for failing to deal with doping in the sport.

Kenyan athlete Julias Ndegwa said: "Everybody is complaining against him [Kiplagat], even at the IAAF, everybody, even at Nike. The doping menace has been caused by him and under his office, so we want a clean sport and we need change to happen with immediate effect and that would would be today [Monday]."

Okeyo, a member of the ruling council of athletics' world governing body the IAAF, has been referred to that organisation's ethics commission after it was revealed he is the subject of a police investigation in Kenya.

Okeyo is alleged to have siphoned off funds from a sponsorship deal between the national association and the sportswear firm Nike.

A Nike spokesman said last week it had acted with "integrity" in its dealings with Athletics Kenya and that the "expectation and understanding" of the sponsorship deal was that the funds would be "used to support and service the teams and athletes".

No comments: