Uphold integrity to spur sports growth, Tergat challenges stakeholders

National Olympic Committee of Kenya president, Paul Tergat has called on sports stakeholders to uphold high integrity for the growth of sports in the country.

Tergat, who is also the Kenya Academy of Sports chairman termed doping a global menace that has wreaked havoc in the world of sports while urging sportsmen to compete fair and clean.

“Doping is a national issue and a as a nation we want that anyone who will be able to deal with sportsmen should have personal integrity so that we can be able to bring out fair competitions in sports,” Tergat told Citizen Digital at the sidelines of the 2019 Sports Conference that kicked off Monday at a Nairobi hotel .

The 10,000m record holder was optimistic that the conference would propel a noble aspiration to transform sports as a frame work to make sports occupy a prime position in our national affairs as a nation, and this would be critical to the young people and those charged with responsibilities to guide them through mentorship and coaching .

The three-day conference is bringing together sports stakeholders in the country and was officially opened by the Chief Administrative Secretary in the Ministry of Sports Hassan Noor Hassan, who said the ministry is working on an initiative to set up a national sports day to celebrate Kenya’s heroic sportsmen annually.

Speaking at the conference, Noor Hassan claimed that sports and health are key components that affect the nation’s growth  noting that Kenya has not fully realized its potential in harnessing resources to make sports a thriving industry that can propel the socio economic growth.

“This forum will help us obtain vital feedback from our stakeholders; it will also provide us with ideas from international presenters and other stakeholders that we can employ to improve our sports,”  observed Noor .

He also said the memories of safari rally global competitions will be brought back to Kenya after 18years  as a Safari Rally  Secretariat has already been set up in Kasarani to work towards ensuring the lost rally glory is reawakened.

Lack of facilities and partnerships was also cited as one of  factors dragging Kenya behind in the transformation of sports while poor leadership is also slowing down the growth.

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sports Paul Tergat growth integrity

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