Nock officials arrested over Rio 2016 debacle

Nock officials arrested over Rio 2016 debacle

After enjoying the trappings of the finer things in life in Brazil where they were accorded VIP treatment, the long arm of the law finally caught up with blundering National Olympics Committee-Kenya (Nock) officials implicated in the Rio 2016 debacle as authorities swooped on them on a dramatic Friday night.

First to be arrested was Nock secretary general, Francis K Paul who was detained at Nairobi’s Muthaiga Police Station with officers pouncing on Chef-de-Mission, Stephen arap Soi and his deputy, James Chacha, upon arrival from Brazil at Jomo Kenyatta International Airport where they were whisked away to become the guests of the State alongside their colleague.

Further reports yet to be confirmed indicate a raid was conducted at the national Olympics body’s offices in Nairobi that were locked after the organisation was disbanded on Thursday and the homes of the officials implicated where a huge chunk of the Nike official team kit was discovered and confiscated.

The officials are expected to be brought before court on Monday in the ongoing investigations against them on charges ranging from mistreatment of members of Team Kenya to Rio 2016 Olympics in Brazil, accrediting a huge number of joy riders and pilfering of kit meant for athletes from sponsors and American sports apparel firm, Nike.

President Uhuru Kenyatta ordered a probe into the Rio 2016 fiasco earlier in the week following a national outcry against the treatment of the country’s heroes in scandals that have overshadowed the country’s best ever performance at the quadrennial sporting showpiece where track and field exponents brought home six gold, six silver and a bronze medal.

One of the plain clothes officers vehicles that lay in wait as implicated Nock officials arrived at the airport. PHOTO/Matthews Mutai
One of the plain clothes officers vehicles that lay in wait as implicated Nock officials arrived at the airport. PHOTO/Matthews Mutai

Soon after they were picked up, Soi and Chacha’s luggage lay unattended at the arrivals lounge of JKIA, with the heavy suitcases, some wrapped in tamper proof polythene, sat lonely on trolleys in a far cry to the razzmatazz they anticipated following Kenya’s best performance achieved at the 31st edition of the Games.

To say it was a rude welcome would be an understatement. For years since they secured their seats in the Nock executive, Paul, Soi and Chacha have enjoyed first class trappings that come with their positions, often riding in limos and having orderlies at their beck and call but it all started to unfold when one scandal after another broke since Team Kenya reported to camp to prepare for the Olympics.

Paul who arrived earlier put a staunch defence of their handling of the Rio 2016 team, laying the blame at the door step of the Ministry of Sport and even vowing they would be unbowed by the declaration to disband Nock, citing from the Olympics Charter that leaves such powers at the hands of the IOC Executive Board.

On Friday evening, he said they would meet with the rest of the Nock officials over the weekend to fashion a response following Cabinet Secretary for Sports, Culture and the Arts Dr. Hassan Wario’s directive to dismiss the body as a meeting of federations under the its umbrella was set to take place to deliberate on the minister’s unprecedented action before the dramatic move by the State to arrest the officials.

Wario, who is under mounting pressure to be accountable for the Rio 2016 mess, placed the functions of Nock under Sports Kenya with a probe team of eight formed to investigate and furnish him with a report by September 30.

Affected athletes, among them Olympics silver medallist and men Javelin world champion, Julius Yego, confirmed a day later they had been summoned by the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) to give statements on what transpired at the Rio 2016 Games.

-Story developing 

Tags:

olympics NOCK Rio 2016 Stephen arap Soi Francis K Paul

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