Julius Yego resigns as Team Kenya Olympics' athletics captain

The 2013 World 800m champion Eunice Sum has replaced 2016 Olympic javelin silver medallist Julius Yego as the athletics team captain for the Tokyo Olympic Games.

Athletics team manager Benjamin Njoga disclosed that the 33-year-old Sum takes over in an acting capacity following the resignation of Yego, the 2015 World javelin champion.

Yego took to his Facebook page to resign Monday, days after he complained also on social media for lacking a coach in his training at Team Kenya's camp at the Moi International Spirts Centre, Kasarani.

On July 2, Yego, the reigning two-time African Games javelin champion, expressed his disappointment for training alone without a coach.

Yego went ahead to renounce his captaincy claiming that the environment wasn’t favourable for him to lead the athletics team.

It’s not the first time Yego is complaining, having done so ahead of the 2016 Rio Olympic Games and 2019 African Games.

“Our team captain is elected by the athletes, but Sum, who was Yego’s deputy, will act before we call for another meeting where they will elect a new captain,” said Njoga, who accused Yego of lack of leadership and indiscipline.

Njoga said that he had communicated with Yego telling him that his usual coach Joseph Mosonik would join him in camp upon attending to personal issues. 

“I was shocked to see Yego complaining the following day on social media. He is dishonest and his claims are baseless and unfounded,” said Njoga, adding that Yego is a leader and he should have shown some responsibility.

“We have established channels that Yego knows, hence it’s the height of indiscipline to resign on social media when it’s the athletes who elected him,” said Njoga.

Njoga explained that they are yet to receive any feedback from Athletes Integrity Unit (AIU) concerning the case of the 1,500m athlete Kamar Etyang.

Etyang had not fulfilled the AIU anti-doping requirements, though he had been named in the team after finishing second during the national trials on June 19 in Nairobi. 

Etyang, who only met the qualifying standards during the trials, had not undergone the three out-of-competition tests to qualify for selection as per the AIU rules for Category “A” of countries on their anti-doping list.

Njoga took time to assure the country that all is well in camp and that the athletes are focused, motivated and hoping for the best.

“They are conscious of the heavy responsibilities they are carrying on their shoulders,” said Njoga.