Kenya in vintage fashion, dominated the athletics scene once again in the 2016 season, highlighting the prestige and vast talent on the track by her athletes.
The biggest stage was the Rio Olympic Games held from August 5-21 where Kenya sent its largest ever delegation of 89 athletes with the hopes of an optimistic nation resting on their shoulders.
Team Kenya did not disappoint and was touted as one of the most accomplished by a Kenyan delegation in its history after a stellar performance.
The team won its best record haul of medals by scooping six gold, six silver and one bronze medal. It was also the first time that Kenya won a medal in a field event notably silver medal by Julius Yego (javelin) and Benson Mucheru in the 400m hurdles.
But, the end did not justify the means in this scenario when the behind-the-scenes veil was removed thus exposing the alleged dark cloud of corruption, defiance of protocol, procedures and general mismanagement of team Kenya by the National Olympic Committee of Kenya, NOCK officials.
Several committees were constituted due to a public outcry to investigate the matter.L further.On August 26, Sports Cabinet Secretary Hassan Wario formed one to delve into what was then termed as the Rio Fiasco.
This move was coupled with the stern action of disbanding NOCK, a step that led to formation of an interim team of officials drawn from its affiliate federations.
The probe team took two months to conduct outreaches and interviews in Eldoret, Nandi and Nairobi to collect vital information and determine what transpired prior to the Olympics.
Report to Wario not released
The team then submitted the report to Wario on October 28 that is yet to be released and that reads malice in various quarters as some top officials in his ministry may have been mentioned in the saga.
The second committee was that of the Parliamentary Labour and Social Welfare chaired by Matuga Member of Parliament David Were which tabled its findings to parliament.
This report highlighted several discrepancies on ticketing, issues of double budgeting and gaps in the expenditure as provided by NOCK officials in charge at the games.
After several failed consultative meetings between the sports ministry, the disbanded NOCK and its affiliates, the International Olympic Committee deliberated that the committee must sort out its key issues.
The top agenda was review of the constitution and elections. IOC also set December 31 as the latest date for NOCK to have acted on the directive given.
2017 defining moment for NOCK
However, IOC through its Deputy Director General Pere Miro decided to give NOCK more time to review its constitution going into 2017 where a draft of the new constitution is expected to be submitted to the IOC in January after an Extraordinary Assembly.
Furthermore, IOC expects NOCK to convene an Elective General Assembly in March where it will perform a watchdog role in conjunction with the Association of National Olympic Committee of Africa, ANOCA.
“NOCK should proceed with the final consultations with members and stakeholders and consolidate a final constitution draft. NOCK will then convene the Elective General Assembly to proceed with the quadrennial elections of members of the executive board in accordance with the newly adopted constitution,” Miro said in a statement.
First quarter of the 2017 season is set to offer more clarity on the contentious issues at NOCK with court cases against some its officials being heard and determined.
The extended timeline means that it is imperative for NOCK to put its house in order by then or risk undesirable sanctions by the world Olympics body.
