DCI summons athletes to give accounts on Rio 2016 mess

Olympics silver medallist and world men Javelin champion, Julius Yego, is among athletes who were part of the Team Kenya for the Rio 2016 Olympics summoned by the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) to give their accounts on claims of mismanagement levelled against officials in charge of them in Brazil.

The DCI have asked a number of athletes to give details of their personal experiences in Rio following the directive from President Uhuru Kenyatta that stern action would be taken on any official guilty of mistreating the competitors following the Olympics fiasco that has shamed a nation that topped the African charts in Brazil.

“We are only going to give our grievances. Most athletes are yet to arrive so it’s only a few of us that have been called. I think at the end of the day it’s only a resolution-seeking move,” Yego, himself a Police officer like most of his Rio 2016 teammates, told Citizen Digital.

Sports Cabinet Secretary, Hassan Wario dissolved the National Olympics Committee-Kenya (Nock) and appointed an eight-member committee to probe the officials, absolving himself from blame over the scandals that gripped the team before, during and after the 31st edition of the Summer Games.

On Wednesday, the minister presented himself to the DCI where he was interviewed for hours over the saga with authorities keen on investigating claims of mismanagement, presence of a huge number of joy riders travelling at the expense of the taxpayers and technical officials such as coaches and physiotherapists and kit from team sponsors Nike was pinched and sold off illegally.

Moses Kiplagat, the husband and coach of freshly minted Olympics women 5000m champion, Vivian Cheruiyot, who was denied the chance to travel to Brazil, blamed Nock for the Rio 2016 mess while observing disbanding the body could have serious ramifications for the country.

“We can’t possibly blame the Government for what happened. Nock is an independent body so everything including travel arrangements, accommodation and accreditation is their exclusive responsibility. All this is Nock’s mess.

“Sometimes when leaders overstay in office, they end up doing a poor so their continued stay will only hurt the future of athletics in the country,” he complained.

“Whoever did this has watered down the achievements of our athletes in Rio and should be held responsible. They should however be given a fair hearing,” Kiplagat added.

The stars from Rio who won six gold, six silver and a bronze medal opted to snub any official reception planned for them to protest against maltreatment at the hands of Nock and deny them a chance to share in their glory, opting to return unannounced and having small family celebrations at home.