
Olympics Committee Tells Joyriders to Pay Their Own Expenses, Ready To Release List Of Team Kenya
The National Olympic Committee of Kenya (NOCK) is preparing to release the official list of athletes and officials who will represent Kenya at the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris.
This announcement comes in response to growing scrutiny and calls for transparency in the selection process, as well as a letter from Ababu Namwamba, the immediate former Cabinet Secretary for Sports, requesting that NOCK publish the names.
Speaking to Citizen TV, NOCK Secretary General Francis Mutuku addressed the public’s concerns, emphasizing the committee’s commitment to a transparent and equitable selection process.
Q. Will the Paris list come out eventually?
— NTV Kenya (@ntvkenya) July 15, 2024
Francis Mutuku the Secretary General NOCK, responds#SportOn@bernardndong@jwokabi pic.twitter.com/9ThhRlEKYA
“We have the list. As an Olympic committee, the list is straightforward,” Mutuku confirmed.
“Athletes qualify on two levels, either by ranking or by continental championship, and therefore the list of the athletes becomes automatic.”
Mutuku explained that the finalized list of athletes and officials would be made public soon after being reviewed by the Preparatory and Management Committee.
“We will be able to give that number because we must present it to the Preparatory and Management Committee which is sitting this week to receive those names and then release it to the public before the end of this week,” he said.
This move is in response to increased public vigilance and calls for accountability in the use of taxpayer funds.
Mutuku expressed gratitude to Kenyans for their active participation in the oversight process.
“We are happy that these calls have come before the Olympics. It would have been worse if we were doing the audit after all this had happened. I would like to express our gratitude to Kenyans for keeping watch because they have made our work easier,” he noted.
The NOCK has also directed that individuals who are not members of the official delegation but wish to attend the Olympics must cover their own travel expenses.
“I would like to believe this time round that those who choose to go under the taxpayer’s account, will be able to pay and we would like to thank Kenyans because they have assisted our work in terms of this process,” Mutuku stated.
This decision aims to reduce the number of “joyriders” – non-essential personnel who travel at taxpayer expense – which has been a source of contention at previous international sporting events.
The committee’s proactive stance is expected to ensure that only those who are critical to the athletes’ success receive public funding.
Namwamba faced criticism for allegedly not being transparent with the names of some people who were slated to travel with Team Kenya.
Olympics Committee Tells Joyriders to Pay Their Own Expenses, Ready To Release List Of Team Kenya