Okudo: Accreditation hitch being fixed ahead of U20

Organisers of the World Athletics Under 20 Championships are addressing issues that have hampered accreditation for the global event brought on by Covid-19 protocols.

Sports Principal Secretary Joe Okudo acknowledged that there was a challenge in the accredition process on Friday and Saturday at Moi International Sports Centre, Kasarani.

He said that they are working to address the huge queues of people seeking the Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) and Antigen testing for Covid-19. 

“We have opened other testing areas where security personnel will be tested separately from volunteers, technical staff, the media and any other groups,” said Okudo.

“We were a bit overwhelmed, but we have streamlined things and have added more testing areas at Nyayo National Stadium and in some hotels.”

Okudo further said that they have contracted some private sectors players like Lancet to help in testing so as to quicken the process. 

“More staff have come from the Ministry of Health this afternoon (yesterday), and we have also brought in IPR, that is a centre in the Ministry of Health that deals with testing of Covid-19 and vaccination,” explained Okudo,, adding that testing for security personnel will now be done at night.

“There was a problem, and things don’t happen overnight, it’s work in progress,” he said.

Okudo also said that the release of the test results will be hastened to avoid a backlog that could interfere with the smooth running of preparations for the championships.

Okudo was speaking to the Press Sunday after addressing police commanders who will be in charge during  the week-long  competition that starts on Wednesday.

Also present were the Inspector General of Police Hillary Mutyambai, World Under 20 Championships Chief Executive Officer Mike Rabar, the event’s Local Organising Committee Chairman Jack Tuwei and the National Olympic Committee of Kenya first Deputy President Shadrack Maluki.

Okudo said that the same team of doctors that handled Team Kenya during the just-concluded 2020 Tokyo Olympic Games will also be in charge at the world junior competition.

“We took a Covid-19 free team to Tokyo and back. It’s the same team that managed the World Rally Championships Safari Rally effectively,” said Okudo.

Huge queues were witnessed on Friday and Saturday at the Covid-19 testing area at the gymnasium with many people complaining about the delay in the release of the PCR results.

The delay made accreditation impossible as many people were denied entry for lack of PCR results, including the media.

Mutyambai said his team is prepared to provide maximum security during the championships, adding that a fan-free event will make things easier for them.

“It’s quite unfortunate that Covid-19 has brought us here since we also like to interact with wananchi. Nevertheless, we are well prepared and can’t afford to let anything go wrong,” said Mutyambai, who welcomed the 118 teams to Kenya.

“Let them feel safe and comfortable at home,’ said Mutyambai.

[email protected]