Uproar as Team Kenya sleeps in a crime infested Rio ghetto

The remaining Team Kenya group of the Rio 2016 Games was forced to sleep in a dangerous crime infested shanty town in the Brazilian commercial capital after the Olympics Village was shut down before embarking on their journey back home.

Those affected in the latest disgracing act by the besieged National Olympics Committee -Kenya (Nock) officials for the just concluded Olympics include the men marathon team apart from gold medallist, Eliud Kipchoge, who bought his own ticket, women 800m bronze winner, Margaret Nyairera, Race walkers, boxers and female sprinters.

“There has been gunshots heard all night messages being sent for athletes to stay indoors. I can’t sleep, had to stay until all athletes leave,” team captain and Cherangany MP, Wesley Korir wrote on his Twitter feed when they were booked to spend their last night in the ghetto.

The marathoner who failed to finish Sunday’s race after his water was switched with that of compatriot Stanley Biwott outlined how he argued with officials over the deplorable conditions the team was subjected to after an Olympics where blundering Nock officials have stolen the thunder from the country’s best ever performance at the Games.

“The best team in Africa and the second best all over the world in athletics and this is how they treat us. Unbelievable this is where the rest of Kenyan team will spend their night today, after Olympic village is closed!” Korir posted in his feed accompanied by sordid photos of the ghetto they were compelled to spend the night before their flight home.

Already, President Uhuru Kenyatta has ordered a probe into the mismanagement of the team that brought home six gold medals, six silver and a bronze from the Games that concluded Sunday night.

On Wednesday, Sports Cabinet Secretary, Dr. Hassan Wario was grilled for hours by the Directorate of Criminal Investigations over the rough treatment the country’s team was subjected to.

Speaking to Citizen TV, disgraced Team Kenya Chef-de-Mission, Stephen arap Soi, who has been the face of the maltreatment subjected to the nation’s heroes appeared to brush aside the severity of the matter that fuelled more anger sweeping across the country following sordid accounts of their ineptitude.

“There is nothing wrong with where they are sleeping. We chose here because it is close to the airport,” he quipped.

Authorities are waiting to interrogate him alongside his deputy, James Chacha and Sports Kenya chairman, Fred Muteti over the despicable treatment the team went through, the huge number of joy riders who travelled to Rio and claims the team’s kit supplied by Nike was sold off leaving the team threadbare.

Star athletes sneaked back to the country after the Games to avoid giving the incompetent officials the chance to milk their glory achieved through self sacrifice as opposed to organisation planning.

This was the clearest sign that they are fed up with the Nock officials who have a long history of ham-fisted management.