Four years later, NOC-K finally retrieve Nike kit stolen from Rio Olympics
National Olympics Committee of Kenya (NOC-K) Acting Secretary General Francis Mutuku receives the kit from Mike Muia of the DCI; part of the Nike training shoes that the DCI recovered in the course of their investigations and handed back to NOC-K on September 4, 2020.
What you need to know:
- DCI hands over kits retained in investigations into theft of items meant for Olympic stars
- Uniforms will now be given to athletes who have qualified for Tokyo Olympic Games
Team Kenya’s Olympic kit that was confiscated by the Director of Criminal Investigations (DCI) after the 2016 Rio Olympics scandal will now be distributed to athletes, who have already qualified for next year’s Tokyo Olympic Games.
The National Olympic Committee of Kenya (NOC-K) executive committee was to have a virtual meeting to deliberate on how the kit will be distributed further.
A Nike shoe which was part of training shoes that the DCI recovered in the course of their investigations and handed back to NOC-K on September 4, 2020.
NOC-K secretary general Francis Mutuku, who collected the kit from the DCI headquarters in Nairobi on Friday in the company of treasurer Anthony Kariuki, indicated that they will also engage the federations on the best way to give out the kit.
“We shall give priority to those who have qualified for the Tokyo Olympics for training purposes as we await for the new consignment for the Olympics. The federations will recommend who will get priority,” said Mutuku.
The 57 cartons of various kit items, including training and competition t-shirts, shorts, tracksuits and shoes for different teams, were collected in the presence of Mike Muia, an assistant superintendent of police at the DCI.
The consignment has 374 track suits, 84 pairs of training shoes and 640 various t-shirts.
Others are assorted tennis and golf items alongside tight shorts.
NOC-K president Paul Tergat had followed up the matter with the Director of Investigations Bureau, John Kariuki, who would order the release of the kit on August 6 after all the administration protocols had been followed.
Mutuku indicated that this was after NOC-K gave the DCI confidence by the systems put in place in managing the acquisition and distribution of Team Kenya kit.
National Olympics Committee of Kenya (NOC-K) Acting Secretary General Francis Mutuku displays part of the kit that the Olympics body received from the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) in Nairobi on September 4, 2020.
Mutuku expressed his appreciation to the authorities for safe keeping and facilitating the collection of the kits for the use of athletes.
“The process of kit distribution has now been documented at the secretariat and a system put in place to ensure the right people receive the kit at the appropriate time and with the appropriate kit,” Mutuku explained adding that there are also plans of automating the store to ensure a more seamless system.
Mutuku said that the changes is in line with the executive’s commitment to put athletes at the centre of its governance.
"Our athletes currently require every support they can get as they prepare for the upcoming Tokyo Olympics in 2021 and many other continental and global tournaments and championships,” said Kariuki adding that they are committed to enhancing their readiness for these national assignments as they return to sports.
There are about 15 sports in which athletes are still trying to qualify for the postponed Games.
