Wesley Korir wants IOC involved in Rio fiasco probe

Cherangany Member of Parliament and 2012 Boston Marathon Champion, Wesley Korir, has urged the National Olympic Committee of Kenya (Nock) affiliate federations to reach out to investigators from the International Olympic Committee to help probe into the 2016 Rio fiasco following their move to suspend Nock executive officials on Saturday, 10.

The officials were suspended by a unanimous decision by 19 out of the 21 NOCK affiliate federations present who later constituted an interim committee tasked to come up with a roadmap that would realize the better management of Nock.

Korir – who was in the thick of the unfortunate circumstances that rocked Team Kenya during the Rio Olympics Games and inflicted upon them by Nock – pointed out that the decision by the Sports Arts and Culture Cabinet Secretary, Dr Hassan Wario to disband Nock was not informed.

“I recommend the affiliate federations for their brave decision. It is the right way to go especially because it will cost us less problems with the IOC.

“You cannot disband Nock then give Sports Kenya – a body that is not recognized by the IOC – the mandate to run its affairs. What Wario did is punish an entire body for the mistakes of a few individuals. The federations have followed Nock’s Constitution and in this way we can single out individual cases for punishment while still having a running committee that is internationally recognized,” the vocal politician told Citizen Digital.

Although the Kenya Athletics Coaches Association secretary general, Bernard Ouma was in agreement with the federations’ decision, he lamented the way in which Nock chairman, Dr Kipchoge Keino had been treated by the State.

“The federations have potentially ended a looming standoff between the IOC and the Kenyan government by imploring that Nock’s ban be lifted.

“However, asking Kip Keino to step aside is misplaced for me. He is an international gem and one of the most decorated athletes in the world. As the first ever recipient of the Olympic Laurel award, the IOC might have a problem with that,” Ouma stated.