Kenya’s 7s rugby team to commonwealth games
The Kenyan Commonwealth bound teams camping at Kasarani stadium want their allowances settled before departure to Glasgow Scotland.
The Kenyan government stepped in on Tuesday to prevent a potential worldwide embarrassment as the athletes had threatened to boycott the games unless their allowances had been paid.
Kenya’s team captain, Ezekiel Kemboi had raised the issue with sports minister Hassan Wario when he visited the team’s training camp at Kasarani stadium last week.
“The athletes had demanded to be paid their full allowances upfront before departure because the government had failed to reward the athletes who had competed in the 2013 World cross country championships in Poland and the world track and field championships in Moscow,” said the captain.
Cabinet secretary for sports Hassan Wario gives the flag to team captain Ezekiel KemboiKenya’s Commissioner of Sport, Gordon Oluoch, said the government had now settled the allowances for the Rugby Sevens, Judo and Shooting teams who had left on Sunday without receiving their money.
Kenya’s Commissioner of Sport, Gordon Oluoch, said the government had now settled the allowances for the Rugby Sevens, Judo and Shooting teams who had left on Sunday without receiving their money.
“We had a small hitch securing the money from the bank which was in foreign currency,” Oluoch came out in defence. “We want to assure the rest of the team still in Nairobi residential camp that they will receive their allowances in full before they travel to Glasgow at the end of the week. There should be no cause of alarm,” he said.
The Kenyan government which is never short of controversy over unpaid dues to athletes, will be represented by 195 athletes in the July 23 to August 3 championships in Glasgow, Scotland.
Author:Shadrack Andenga Odinga/Source