National Olympic Committee of Kenya could face IOC sanctions

In a Special General Meeting last week, members of the National Olympic Committee of Kenya (NOCK) were expected to approve a series of new regulations addressing issues of good governance. However, the meeting was postponed due to political disagreements among the members.

A letter signed by Pere Miró, IOC Deputy Director General and Lassana Palenfo, President of the Association of National Olympic Committees of Africa (ANOCA) states that the IOC Executive board will take action should the NOCK fail to take appropriate steps toward the approval the new constitution, according to information obtained by Inside the Games.  

“It is with great concern and disappointment that we have learned of the adjournment of your NOC Extraordinary General Assembly, which was expected to be concluded on February 28, 2017, in accordance with our road-map agreed upon in September 2016, our letters dated December 16, 2016 and February 27, 2017...and our numerous communications and discussions,” read the IOC and ANOCA letter.

“Once again, we call on you to take responsible and constructive action to conclude this process smoothly on March 7, in accordance with our road map and all our previous agreements,” the letter stated.  

“In this spirit, it is expected that you abstain from circulating any further counter-productive communications on the past situation and/or threats of future legal action between yourselves, which do not contribute to pacifying the situation,” explained the letter.

“We also wish to inform you that, should this meeting of March 7 fail to proceed as expected, the situation would have to be reported at the next IOC Executive Board meeting for review and appropriate action,” the IOC and ANOCA letter concluded, according to Inside the Games.

The NOCK’s failure to approve a new constitution is the latest in a series of setbacks since Kenyan Sports Minister, Hassan Wario decided to disband the NOCK following poor management during the Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro.

Kenyan news site Standard Media writes that NOCK Deputy Secretary General, Hames Chacha has ruled out the possibility of IOC sanctions stating that: “This [regulation] is our document and we must agree on it before adopting it. I think IOC will give us time to do this,” Chacha said, according to Standard Media.