Hurdles hamper athletics restart in Kenya

Athletics Kenya (AK) is facing a dilemma of planning for competitions six weeks after the government cleared the discipline to resume following the coronavirus break.

AK Director of Competitions Paul Mutwii said on Friday that they have written to the Ministry of Sports seeking guidance.

While training camps were allowed to reopen and training in small groups in stadiums, there have been no local competitions except the Kip Keino Classic that took place on October 3 at Nyayo National Stadium.

Mutwii said they want fresh clearance from the ministries of Sports and Health concerning their competition schedule since it will not be possible to apply theCovid-19 rules used during the Kip Keino Classic.

The AK executive will on Wednesday draft a tentative 2020/2021 calendar in which the national cross country season is projected to start in the second week of November. The annual Athletics Seminar is planned for the first week of December.

Mutwii said they also have plans to host Athletics Kenya’s 50th anniversary celebrations, which will also be pegged on the clearance from the ministry keeping in mind that they intend to have a series of activities.

“We have sought the ministry’s audience since beside the cross country series, we have lined up a series of weekend meetings,”  said Mutwii on the phone.

“It won’t be easy to institute similar Covid-19 restrictions witnessed at the Kip Keino Classic in our meetings.”

Nod

Mutwii said they will only release their 2020/2021 calendar after they receive a response from the Sports and Health ministries. “We shall only start proper planning after getting the nod from the ministry.”

Kenya’s 87 athletics, who took part in the Kip Keino Classic, where tested for Covid-19 approximately 72 hours before the World Athletics Continental Gold Tour event.

Sports Cabinet Secretary Amina Mohamed on September 18 reopened all outdoor recreational non-contact sporting activities, private fitness clubs and other sporting clubs.  Contact sports remain suspended.

The non-contact sports that re-opened in phases are athletics, lawn tennis, weightlifting, badminton, cricket cycling, equestrian, horse racing, golf, motorsport, fencing, shooting and squash.

Football, swimming, basketball, judo, rugby and karate, hockey, handball, volleyball, netball, wrestling, wheelchair basketball and team building activities are some of the events that remain closed.

However, football and boxing national teams have been allowed to train. Harambee Stars played Zambia’s Chipolopolo in an international friendly on October 9 at the Nyayo National Stadium. Stars won 2-1.

“Testing will not be mandatory but where required, the cost shall be met by the federations, sports organisations, participants or event organisers,” the CS said.

[email protected]