NAIROBI, Kenya, Jun 10 – Former Kenyan international Edwin Odipo, now a lecturer of Sports Marketing at the Shorter University in the State of Georgia is leading the aid to have former Kenyan international Crispin ‘Alphy’ Olando released from a United States prison where he has been held since March 18.

Olando, who moved to the US in 2013 was arrested by police over his immigration documentation and has been held at the Jackson Parish Correctional Centre in Lousiana.

“I have been in contact with Odipo and he tells me they are working to get him released because he has been held for three months now. He is working with some other Kenyans and authorities there and hopefully, we get some good news that he has been released,” Sammy ‘Pamzo’ Omollo, his former coach at Tusker FC in 2011 told Capital Sport.

He added; “What he has told us is that he has been detained because his papers were not right but we hope they are going to solve the issue.”

According to Diasporamessenger.com, Olando is staring at likely deportation unless he manages to secure crucial documents that will allow him to continue his stay in the country as an immigrant.

It further reports that Olando was booked and denied bond after it was established that he lacked the relevant papers.

The midfielder moved to the US in 20013 after being dropped at Tusker FC having been part of the team that won back to back league titles and tried out with several MLS teams without success and had a short stint playing with lower tier clubs.

The post Former Kenyan international trying to aid Olando out of US prison appeared first on Capital Sports.

NAIROBI, Kenya, Jun 11 – With the football world enjoying a slow return to action for most of the European Leagues, it will be athletics’ turn on Thursday night when the Oslo leg of the World Athletics Diamond League goes down, but in a different and unique manner.

The Bislett Games in Norway will turn into a virtual battle, with the highlight of the night being the 2,000m Maurie Plant Memorial race that pits the Ingebrigtsen brothers of Jakob, Filip and Henrik against World 1500m champion Timothy Cheruiyot who will team up with Commonwealth Champion Elijah Manangoi and Edward Meli.

How it works:

Team Cheruiyot will race at the Nyayo National Stadium while Team Ingebrigtsen will race at the Bislett Stadium in Oslo. Each team will have three competing athletes and two rabbits (pacemakers). Only three athletes will cross the line.

The race will be televised on Split Screen, with the average time of each team being used to determine the winner.

The Ingebrigtsen brothers will be looking to break the 2,000m European record.

Where to watch:

In Kenya, SuperSport have acquired rights to screen the race and it will be available on SuperSport 8 from 8:35pm. The same will also be streamed live by the World Athletics and Bislett Games Facebook pages and YouTube Channels.

Will there be other races?

The Maurie Plant memorial will just be one of the races on cards.

Also included is 400m hurdles world champion Karsten Warholm’s attempt at a world record over 300m hurdles, and a virtual pole vault showdown between world record holder Norwegian Mondo Duplantis and Diamond League record champion Frenchman Renaud Lavillenie who will compete from his garden in France.

What they are saying:

Timothy Cheruiyot: We have been preparing very well for the race and we are hoping to do well. I am happy to race again especially at home and I am ready for the challenge. We know they will have an advantage over us because of the altitude but we will give our best.

Elijah Manangoi: We are ready and just waiting for the race to compete and see how it goes. It’s a new thing running a virtual race but we will try our best. We are running five laps while we are used to three and a half but we will see how to deal with the extra 500m.

Team Captain Henrik: We are ready to race again because it’s been so long.  We are still in training mode but we have to change our mindset tonight and get the competition race mode locked on. It’s different to race without fans but we have to work with ourselves and mindset, and I think we will be on fire and ready to go.

Jakob: Of course we have something to compare ourselves to. They are trying their best and we have to be able to match that and race faster. We are better in 5,000m as a group and for us it will be fun to see how we do against Cheruiyot and Manangoi in one extra lap. It’s a different race, but we should look at it like a mile, just keep steady pace and go out at the last 500m.

Filip: We did a skype call with Cheruiyot’s team and it was easy to tell they really want to win and compare against other runners. The beauty of track and field is to measure up against other athletes and see where you stand compared to each other.

The post Team Cheruiyot vs Team Ingebrigtsen: What you need to know ahead of ‘Impossible Games’ appeared first on Capital Sports.

NAIROBI, Kenya, Jun 11 – Fifty Four Safari Tour members are set to benefit from a financial aid scheme instigated by the Kenya Open Golf Limited to help cushion the golfers who have been left without income after sports activities were halted due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

The 54 Safari Tour members who are made up of 39 Kenyans, 10 Ugandans, two Nigerians, and one each from Senegal, Rwanda and Zimbabwe, participated in 11 tournaments that were played from August 2019 and February 2020.

The money which is drawn from the entry and membership fees charged during the 2019-2020 season will be shared among the 54 members, many of whom are currently not earning any income.

“Many of our professional golfers have been adversely affected by the current restrictions and they have suffered a lot due to loss of income. We are giving them a small token to help take some sting out of these harsh and uncertain times that we currently find ourselves in.” said Peter Kanyago, the chairman of Kenya Open Golf Limited.

“This gesture from Kenya Open Golf Limited could not have come at a better time,” said John Wangai, the Captain of the professional golfers of Kenya.

“This is the best thing that has happened to professional golfers since the postponement of the Magical Kenya Open in March. On behalf of the Safari Tour family, I would like to thank the board of Kenya Open Golf Limited for coming to our aid at our hour of need.” Added Wangai.

The Kenya Open Golf Limited will consult with the Government of Kenya to find the safest way to commence the 2020-2021 Safari Tour.

The post Kenya Open Golf Limited to offer financial assistance to Safari Tour members appeared first on Capital Sports.

NAIROBI, Kenya, Jun 11 – The Ministry of Sports, Arts and Culture is set to have a bigger purse to work with after National Treasury and Planning Cabinet Secretary Ukur Yattani proposed an allocation of Sh14bn to the Sports, Arts and Social Development Fund as he tabled the 2020-2021 national budget before parliament on Thursday afternoon.

The allocation is a huge increase from the Sh5.3bn handed to the Fund in last year’s budget.

“Sports, Culture and Arts contribute immensely to our economic development by boosting job creation for our youth and generating foreign exchange. To support this sector, I propose allocation of 14bn to Sports Arts and Social Development Fund,” Yattani said as he presented the estimates to the National Assembly.

The allocation, if approved by Parliament, will be a huge boost to the Ministry’s task of renovating more than nine stadia as well as successful hosting of the Safari Rally and the World Under-20 Athletics Championship.

The Ministry has used money from the Sports Fund to finance the renovation of the Nyayo National Stadium as well as several other sporting facilities in the country, including the Kenya Academy of Sports at Kasarani.

With an increased allocation, most of the pending works in several stadia including Kip Keino in Eldoret, Mombasa, and the Jomo Kenyatta Sports Ground in Kisumu are set to be completed.

Earlier this week, Sports CS Amina Mohamed said the Ministry would finance the expansion of the Nairobi testing Laboratory as they look to deal with the doping menace and the increase in budget will be a big boost towards this.

At the same time, Kenya is waiting on dates for the Safari Rally and World Athletics Under-20 Championship which were both set to be staged this year.

The post Boost as Yattani hands Sports Fund massive rise in budgetary allocation appeared first on Capital Sports.

NAIROBI, Kenya, Jun 11 – World Marathon record holder and the only man to run the 42km distance in under two hours, Eliud Kipchoge, says he will continue supporting Tottenham Hotspur despite Kenya captain Victor Wanyama’s departure.

Kipchoge at the same time also believes Juventus and Portugal forward Cristiano Ronaldo is the best footballer on earth.

While responding to a question on whether age matters to an athlete during a Webinar organized by the National Olympics Committee of Kenya (NOCK) on Thursday evening, Kipchoge said he believes Cristiano is the best player because of his work ethic.

“Who is the greatest footballer in the world?” Kipchoge posed to Webinar moderator and BBC Africa’s Lyne Wachira.

“Ronaldo is 35 years old. Just recently when Juventus were going back to training, he reported four hours earlier than anyone else. He is still the best at 35 years. There is still a 19-year old kid in Juventus who cannot match Ronaldo even with his age,” Kipchoge further stated.

The world record holder and Olympic champion revealed his witty side and love for football with the analogy and precision of knowing some fine details.

Meanwhile the London Marathon champion says he will continue supporting Tottenham Hotspur even after Wanyama left to join Canadian outfit Montreal Impact in February.

“Will continue supporting Spurs because there is life in Spurs. There, you can see a young kid being transformed into a star. Spurs can get a 16 yearr kid and mould him to scale up even to the elite team. If you visit spurs one time you will enjoy and you will be a Spurs fan forver,” Kipchoge said.

The world beater watched Spurs just after clinching the London title in 2018, going to their training ground at Hotspur Way and meeting all the stars including immediate former coach Mauricio Pochettino.

Last week, he raced with Spurs funs in a virtual marathon organized by his sponsors NN Running and fluid partner Maurten.

The post Eliud Kipchoge reveals why he loves Spurs and thinks CR7 is GOAT appeared first on Capital Sports.

NAIROBI, Kenya, Jun 12 – Kenya National Rally Championship (KNRC) Division One leader Nikhil Sachania has every reason to smile, thanks to the ‘safety equipment grant’ he has received from the FIA Disability and Accessibility Commission.

The reigning three-time Kenyan SPV Champion now has a certified safety fuel tank from ATL which is one of the items that are needed for a car to be eligible for the World Championship Safari Rally.

Sachania is also working on putting in an RS diff, a standard part available for the EVO.

“The fuel tank is a certified FIA tank and a very big boost for my Safari aspirations next year. It is great to have the FIA help support and promote disabled drivers across the globe,” he said.

The FIA Disability and Accessibility Commission offers support to disabled drivers through the no-cost supply of a range of safety equipment.

Available to disabled drivers who participate in at least five races per year sanctioned by their National Sporting Authority (ASN), the grant is intended to make motor sport more accessible without compromising safety.

The FIA created the Disability and Accessibility Commission to ensure accessible racing and motoring across both the Sport and Mobility pillars.

“In terms of teamwork, we do have more time to fine-tune the car for 2020 events once the COVID-19 restrictions are eased. The pandemic situation has given us more time to look back and better our car. I recently received a fuel tank from FIA to help me take part in our home WRC event. We are trying to fit all components in the car,” Nikhil said.

Nikhil was hoping to make his WRC Safari debut next month but due to the global health emergency, he has more time to rework his hand-controlled SPV Mitsubishi Evolution X well in time.

“Our hopes this season were to wrap up our 2020 KNRC campaign in top 10, defend the SPV title, participate in WRC Safari and hopefully win the Division One drivers and co-drivers titles for the first time,” he stated.

Nikhil returned to a sport which nearly killed him and confined him to a wheelchair.

But most importantly, he rebounded in 2014 to win the SOYA Disability Award, the Kenya National Rally SPV car category championship and the KMSF Motorsport Personality of the Year Award in 2014.

He has dominated the SPV Championship and won the coveted title thrice in 2014, 15 and 19.

In September 2011, Nikhil was involved in an accident in Athi River where he was testing his new quad with Shazar Anwar and Zane Young trying to get ready for his would-be debut event. He then hit a rock at high-speed and landed head first. The impact shattered his spine.

The operation of his hand-controlled car is a simple push and pull lever mechanism- pull to accelerate and push to brake.

The post Div One Rally champ Sachania savors FIA disability grant ahead of 2021 WRC Safari debut appeared first on Capital Sports.

NAIROBI, Kenya, Jun 12 – The Kenya Rugby Union has announced it has parted ways with Kenya Sevens Technical Director Paul Feeney on mutual consent, owing to what they termed as uncertainty brought about by the COVID-19 pandemic.

Feeney left Kenya in April to be with his family in New Zealand after a brief stint with the team and has not been able to return since due to the restrictions set up by the government barring international flights in and out of the country to stem the tide of the virus.

“It is unfortunate he has been unable to complete the ongoing sevens world series due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The process to fill the vacancy arising from his departure is currently ongoing and interested parties are requested to submit their applications,” a statement from the Union stated.

“The Kenya Rugby Union would like to thank Paul for his work during his time with us and wish him success in the future,” it adds.

Feeney was appointed to the role in September last year after former coach Paul Murunga’s contract ended and led Shuhaa to the 2019 Africa 7s title which earned them qualification to the Tokyo Olympics.

Under his guidance, Kenya’s two teams finished in the podium of the Safari Sevens, the second tier team Morans clinching the title while the main team, Shujaa won bronze.

However, Shujaa’s performance in the World Rugby Sevens series hasn’t been as convincing as they currently sit 12^th in the standings with 35 points after six tournaments.

The post Kenya Rugby Union parts ways with Shujaa boss Paul Feeney appeared first on Capital Sports.

NAIROBI, Kenya, Jun 11 – In a new twist, eight Kenyan Premier League clubs have joined the case challenging the top flight’s cancellation by Football Kenya Federation (FKF) as interested parties and now support the Federation’s bid to have the Sports Disputes Tribunal (SDT) throw it out.

Tusker FC, Zoo Kericho, Western Stima, Ulinzi Stars, Kariobangi Sharks, KCB FC, Posta Rangers and Kisumu All Stars have all been enjoined as interested parties and interestingly, offer different opinions from that of the mother body, Kenyan Premier League (KPL).

Lawyer Ochutsi Munyendo (appearing for Tusker FC, Zoo kericho, Ulinzi Stars, Western Stima and Kariobangi Sharks), Charles Njenga (appearing for KCB FC, Posta and Kisumu All Stars) as well as Victor Omwebu appearing for FKF want the case thrown out, citing various legal issues.

Tribunal chair John Ohaga is set to rule on June 30 on the Preliminary Objections raised by the three lawyers as well as responses filed by Amos Otieno (for KPL and Chemelil Sugar) as well as Milton Nyakundi (appearing for Kakamega Homeboyz).

“If the Preliminary points are upheld, then it will be the end of the matter and if dismissed, the tribunal will then hear the matter on that day,” Ohaga said at the end of a three hour, 15 minute submission done via Zoom.

The three lawyers want the case thrown out by the Tribunal on account that Chemelil Sugar did not exhaust the in-house judiciary processes of complaint as stipulated in the FKF constitution, while also adding that KPL CEO Jack Oguda does not have Locus Standi to represent the KPL.

Also brought to question was the petitioner’s lawyer Otieno’s qualification to appear for anyone at a court of law over his practicing certificate.

According to Munyendo, documents before the Tribunal were signed by Otieno on May 11, a week before he paid for his practicing certificate which in his submissions puts him at an illegal position to do any legal business.

“He is an unqualified person and cannot represent KPL in this matter,” Munyendo submitted to the Tribunal.

He also added; “The suit as filed deprives the Tribunal jurisdiction to hear this suit. Appellate matters cannot be on the weight scales of the Tribunal.”

On whether Oguda has jurisdiction to institute any legal proceedings on behalf of the Tribunal, Munyendo further submitted that the Chief Executive Officer cannot act on his own violation if not permitted by the Governing Council.

“The interested parties are shareholders of the KPL. Our chairmen sit in the Governing Council which is the decision-making organ of the KPL. No meeting was called to sanction the decision in accordance with KPL laws. Mr Oguda has no legal capacity to institute the suit as he is not a legal person,” Munyendo submitted.

His submission was supported by FKF’s legal representative Omwebu who added that the Federation are shareholders of the KPL but were never asked on their opinion

“The KPL is allegedly represented by its CEO. We know corporate law; a CEO does not act on his own. He is mandated; he is a servant and an agent. Did the CEO have express authority? I expect this to be a very clear issue that comes early in his supporting affidavit, mandated by the Governing Council,” Omwebu offered.

Meanwhile, Chemelil were faulted for not exhausting internal dispute resolution mechanisms before heading to the Tribunal, as provided for by the FKF constitution.

“Chemelil should have dealt with the disagreement within the mechanisms set out in the FKF constitution before approaching this Tribunal or any other forum,” said Omwebu, before adding that the petition should be dismissed with costs.

In his responses however, Otieno representing both KPL CEO Oguda and Chemelil cited that the Tribunal’s decision on March 17 which said only the FKF boss Nick Mwendwa should remain in office due to the elections impasse meant that they did not have an option to forward their grievances.

Otieno also questioned how the decision to terminate the league was reached at with the National Executive Committee out of office.

“The first respondent (FKF boss Nick Mwendwa) had no mandate to end the league without consulting the second petitioner (KPL) who has executive mandate to manage the league. The first respondent made an arbitrary decision without consultation,” Otieno stated.

On the issue of absence of an NEC, FKF’s Omwebu responded that there exists a leagues and competitions committee whose mandate is to deal with any matters arising from the running of various leagues.

He also went on to add that there exists a judicial system within the Federation to attend to any disputes and Chemelil Sugar did not make any attempt to make use of them.

FKF made the decision to end all football across the country on April 30 due to the stoppages occasioned by the COVID-19 pandemic.

In making the decision, FKF relied on the Force Majeure rule in it’s constitution and handed Gor Mahia the league title based on the standings as at mid-season.

However, the league managers went to the Tribunal to protest the decision and they were joined by Chemelil Sugar who would be relegated courtesy of the mid-table league standings.

The post Eight KPL clubs join FKF’s call for league cancellation case to be thrown out appeared first on Capital Sports.

NAIROBI, Kenya, Jun 15 – Several Kenyan foreign-based footballers were in action as football slowly began to return in some countries after three months of inactivity due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

In neighbouring Tanzania, Harambee Stars creative midfielder Francis Kahata came on as a second half substitute as Simba SC played out to a 1-1 draw with Ruvu Shooting at the National Stadium in Dar Es Salaam.

Kahata has trained with Simba for less than two weeks after being flown in from Arusha, having been in the country since early March when the league was halted.

By the time he was coming on in the second half, it was already 1-1 with Fully Maganga restoring parity for Ruvu after Shiza Kichuya had given the home side an early lead. Despite the draw, Simba remain on course for a three-peat with a 15 point lead and nine matches remaining.

In Sweden, defender Joseph ‘Crouch’ Okumu clocked the full minutes as his side IF Elfsborg won 1-0 away to IFK Gotenborg as the Scandinavian top tier finally started after two months of waiting. The league was initially scheduled to kick off in April.

“It felt really good to be out there and playing again. Starting off with victory and a clean sheet made it sweeter,” Okumu said.

Meanwhile, leftback Erick ‘Marcelo’ Ouma watched from the sidelines as his side AIK went top of the standings after match day one with a 2-0 victory over Orebro. Ouma broke his foot during training two weeks ago and is set to be out for a further month and a half.

In England, winger Ayub Timbe was a second half substitute as his club Reading FC beat Portsmouth 3-1 in a build up match with the Championship set to resume in five days’ time.

Timbe laid up the assist for Reading’s third goal, pulling back the ball for Michael Olise who slotted in past the keeper. The forward, on loan from Chinese side Beijing Renhe also played in last week’s friendly against Chelsea at their training ground in Cobham.

Reading re-start their campaign at home against Stoke City on Saturday.

The post Kenyan foreign based legion in action as football slowly returns appeared first on Capital Sports.

NAIROBI, Kenya, Jun 17 – Gor Mahia head coach Steve Polack has become the first tactician to win the Fidelity Insurance, Sports Journalists of Kenya (SJAK) Kenyan Premier League coach of the month award three times in one season after trouncing AFC Leopards’ Anthony Kimani for the February gong.

Polack, who led K’Ogalo to three victories, a draw and a loss in February, polled 10 points narrowly edging out Kimani who polled nine points in the final pool of voting by the SJAK football commission.

The tactician was belatedly awarded on Wednesday, adding on to two previous awards in October and November last year.

“It’s an honor to get a third award and I am just as pleased as I was when I got my first one. To get an individual award makes you feel good but football for me is a group effort. I dedicate this to my staff and players who have put in the hard work throughout and without them I wouldn’t be here with this trophy,” Polack stated.

He added; “And also to the supporters; we all know Gor have the best supporters in Kenya and they have played their part to push the team to do better.”

In the month of February, Gor started the month of love by beating Nzoia Sugar 3-0. They encountered speed bumps with a 3-1 loss at the hands of Sofapaka followed up by a 1-1 draw with Western Stima, before they bounced back to win in identical 3-2 score-lines against Zoo Kericho and Stima.

Leopards on the other hand won three and lost one.

With the tough conditions currently Gor are facing with lack of payment, the Sh75.000 that comes with the award will be a huge boost to Polack who says he has only seen his salary in bits and pieces over the last five months.

“Well to be honest it has been tough but we hope things will get better. I have been talking to the chairman on a daily basis and he is doing his best. Hopefully in the next week or so we will have something. Of course it is hard with the COVID-19 situation because no one is open to giving money but we remain hopeful,” Polack stated.

He added; “Of course I will try share out this (Sh75,000) with some of my technical bench members but of course it is not so much to share with everyone. But definitely it is going to help me a bit.”

Meanwhile, Fidelity Insurance says it will consider extending the partnership with SJAK despite the financial difficulties occasioned by the Pandemic.

“As Fidelity we keep our promise and that is why we are here today to award Polack for his win in February. We want to congratulate him for winning this thrice in a row. We are proud to do this especially at this difficult time and we will keep talking with SJAK over extension this partnership,” said Nicholas Malesi, the Fidelity Insurance Marketing and Business Development Manager.

The post Jolly Polack trounces AFC’s Kimani for coach of the month three-peat appeared first on Capital Sports.

NAIROBI, Kenya, Jun 17 – Gor Mahia head coach Steve Polack wants the Kenyan Premier League (KPL) managers and Football Kenya Federation to quickly agree on the way forward for the 2019/20 season so that clubs can know how to plan.

Football Kenya Federation (FKF) boss Nick Mwendwa announced the ending of all football seasons across the country due to the COVID-19 situation but KPL went to the Sports Disputes Tribunal to reverse the decision, with the John Ohaga led arbitration board staying orders that suspended the season.

The Tribunal is set to rule on whether to continue with the case or not on June 30 after weighing up preliminary objections raised by FKF counsel as well as eight other KPL clubs.

“Let them sort it out. If they say we play again, then we play. I am confident in my players and if they say tomorrow we will be back then we will be ready. But they need to look at the big picture before they can make a big decision like that,” the tactician stated.

He added; “The new season is supposed to start in August. We have to wait till the President makes an announcement on the measures and then we need to train for like four or five weeks and that means the season cannot finish till around October. The rules I have read, there has to be 60 days between the last day of the season and the first game of the new season. They need to take a good look at that and then make a decision.”

In ending the season, the Federation relied on the Force Majeure clause in its football rules that gives the Federation liberty to declare a final league standing according to either 75pc of the matches played or by the standings as at mid-season.

With this, Gor were declared champions and their names submitted for next season’s CAF Champions League. But with KPL’s objection, the final decision will wait on word from the Tribunal.

But, Polack is pessimistic that Kenya can satisfy all safety parameters to ensure football returns within a healthy atmosphere especially with all protocols required for a safe return.

“In Africa, it is very hard to get a club that can satisfy all those requirements including tests on players and officials. If we are struggling to pay salaries, can we afford to do all the tests, disinfect the training ground and pitches, equipment, etc?” quipped the tactician.

Polack has been locked up in the country since the league went on break with the closure of inbound and outbound flights meaning he has to remain in the country.

He had planned to travel back to his England home to be with his family once the season was supposed to end on May 28.

“I have not seen my family since December and every time my son and daughter are asking me when I am going to be home. Of course we have to wait and hopefully this thing will end soon,” he states.

Adding; “It’s a sad thing but health is the most important thing now.”

Meanwhile, even as he waits for the situation to get back to normal, the tactician says he has already drawn out plans in anticipation for the new season and already has pictured the kind of players he wants.

Top on his priority however is trying to ensure the club retains most of its players especially those who have their contracts running.

But, he knows it will be a challenge due to their financial status.

The post Resolve league impasse ASAP, Gor Mahia boss Polack asks KPL, FKF appeared first on Capital Sports.

NAIROBI, Kenya, Jun 17 – Kakamega Homeboyz skipper and former Kenyan international Allan Wanga is looking to follow in the footsteps of Manchester United forward and England international Marcus Rashford in using his platform and status as a football star to push for social change.

While Rashford successfully campaigned for the United Kingdom government to change its mind and extend its free school meals voucher scheme over the summer holidays, Wanga has joined a campaign urging Parliament to approve a petition to withdraw toxic chemical pesticides from the Kenyan market.

The petition was brought before parliament last year by Uasin Gishu Women Representative Gladys Boss Shollei calling for the urgent withdrawal of harmful pesticides from the market because of the serious implications they pose to health and environment.

The petition is currently before the Agriculture Committee in Parliament and the end game will depend on its recommendations.

“This is something that I am really passionate about and we have seen the kind of harm that these harmful pesticides can do not only to us but our future generations. We need to safeguard our health and these are some of the things we need to look out for. Harmful pesticides result in harmful food for our people,” Wanga told Capital Sport.

He added; “I want to use my position as a footballer to impart social change to the country. We have seen what Rashford managed to achieve with his campaign in England and this is a wake up call to all of us to use our platforms for the good of our fellow citizens.”

Wanga says he has been part of the campaign since February and has been using his social media accounts to advocate for the petition to go through.

“Urge your MP to support the petition. Engage them on Twitter, Facebook or however you can,” Wanga said in one of his posts.

“32pc of the active ingredients registered for use in Kenya, are not allowed in Europe. Most of the pesticides we use in Kenya, are imported from Europe. We are growing organic food for export, but are seemingly less concerned about the quality of food made available to our own people. This is not acceptable,” Shollei said in a statement as she tabled her petition.

Wanga now hopes that adding his voice to the campaign supported by the Route to Food NGO will bring about more attention to the dangers posed by the increased use of harmful pesticides by Kenyan farmers, so as to safeguard the health and wellbeing of Kenyans.

The post Rashford-inspired Allan Wanga joins call for withdrawal of toxic pesticides from Kenyan market appeared first on Capital Sports.

NAIROBI, Kenya, Jun 18 – Within a murky COVID-19 ridden 2020, Kenya’s two biggest football clubs, Gor Mahia and AFC Leopards have found their sunshine after landing a combined Sh95mn sponsorship from new betting firm Betsafe for a period of three years.

With the two clubs wading in financial difficulty and non-payment of salaries for the last six months, the new company will drag them off the pit of poverty with Gor Mahia set to get Sh55mn a year while AFC Leopards will get Sh40mn in the deal.

Betsafe, a new betting platform yet to be launched in the country will be a brand operating under the company Bet High Kenya Limited.

Both Gor and Leopards were left without financial backbone after SportPesa dropped the ball following their tax row with the government leading to the two clubs willowing in increased troubles.

Gor have not paid their players salaries for the last five months while Leopards have also struggled to make their ends meet.

“This is a huge and welcome boost for the club because we have had so much difficulties over the last few months. It is going to stabilize the club moving forward and we are really happy to get this deal. At least we have somewhere to start from,” AFC Leopards chair Dan Shikanda told Capital Sport.

He added that the money will be a huge boost as they look to strengthen the team to be competitive next season in a bid to quench their two-decade thirst for the title.

“At least now we can be able to convince a player to join because they now know they are coming to a place with financial difficulty. Now we should start plans for the new season and make our players comfortable,” Shikanda added.

According to sources privy to the deal, Sh5mn from the sponsorship will each go towards kitting with both Gor and AFC having secured Umbro as their official kit sponsors last year.

The rest of the money will go towards the team’s payroll and running of the club.

“We will be launching in the Kenyan market very soon and our top priority is to support Kenyan football. Being a responsible gaming provider since the very beginning we aim to bring more engagement and excitement together with Leopards SC in the near future”, says Tom Bwana, PR & Partner Manager at Bet High (K) Ltd.

The post Gor, AFC withdraw begging bowls as Betsafe hands Sh95mn sponsorship appeared first on Capital Sports.

NAIROBI, Kenya, Jun 18 – Former Kenya Sevens Team Manager John Mbai has been appointed as the Director of Growth and Development by the Kenya Rugby League Federation, who have been pruning out top names from mainstream rugby to set up their base.

Mbai will primarily be responsible for developing the Federation’s growth strategies and plans in a bid to acquire, build and grow its infrastructure as well as manage and retain relationships with the existing partners and stakeholders.

The former Shujaa TM who is also World Rugby Organization level 3 trained coach has vast experience in rugby, boasting of close to 15 years in the game as player and coach.

As a player he turned out for Mwamba Rugby Club and the disbanded Ulinzi. As a coach, the tactician has handled Mean Machine, Mwamba RFC, Technical university of Kenya RFC and Strathmore Leos.

“Growth and development in general is something that I have a great passion for especially in an era where it is misunderstood, because we are living in a time where people want instant results and have little appreciation for the process of time,” Mbai said upon his appointment.

He added; “It’s an honor and privilege to get the opportunity to be part of this exciting Journey of building something new that has great potential and working with colleagues with rich rugby pedigree.”

Meanwhile, KRLF Chairman Quicks Nyakwaka says he is elated to have Mbai join the team that already has experienced and respected rugby personnel in Edward Rombo, Charles Cardovilis and former Shujaa boss Benjamin Ayimba.

“Mbai will be the man in the middle to monitor success and ensure areas that need great improvement are identified and given much attention they deserve. The fusion of his rich academic background and strong rugby managerial skills will definitely give league the much needed impetus,” Nyakwaka stated.

The Rugby League Federation is in the process of strengthening its coaching and technical units, in readiness for its league kick-off and maiden international test match against South Africa later in the year.

The post Former Kenya Sevens Team Manager lands Kenya Rugby League role appeared first on Capital Sports.

NAIROBI, Kenya, Jun 18 – Basketball wasn’t really a sport she wanted to play, nor did she ever see herself as a professional athlete; but now, Felmas Koranga, daughter of former Harambee Stars winger Elijah Koranga wants to become the first Kenyan to play in the Women’s Eurobasket or the WNBA.

In her third year of collegiate Basketball in the United States, the six foot one, sixth born in a family of 10 now has her dreams aligned and wants to keep working hard to achieve the target and make history.

“Since I came here, what has been on my mind is Eurobasket to be honest. I just love the level of the game there and I follow it a lot. That’s what I want to do once I finish school. Now I haven’t given it much thought because I want to get my papers first but in my senior year in 2021, I will really work towards that,” the Shimba Hills High School alumnus told Capital Sport from her base in Alabama.

While she dreams of turning out in the Eurobasket once she finishes her collegiate years, the Women’s NBA is also a possible landing spot and as she says, whichever comes first will be welcome.

“I wouldn’t mind it. Whichever opportunity comes first I will take it but what I know is that I want to play pro basketball. Any opportunity that comes I will grab it with both hands,” Koranga further states.

She has already made her mark by doing wonders in her first two years of collegiate basketball, being named the Women Basketball College Association (WBCA) Player of the Year at the just concluded season while at Tyler College in the National Junior Collegiate Athletics Association (NJCAA) League.

She was also named in the 2020 WBCA Two-Year College Coaches’ All-America team.

In two years at Tyler, she amassed a college record of slightly over 1,000 points and 750 rebounds and her performances there attracted the interest of the Troy Trojans who play in the NCAA Division one where she will also be doing a Degree in Psychology.

In her first year, she helped the team win the regular season in the Region 14 Championship but we knocked out in the second round of the National Championship. In her second year, they started the season well being unbeaten in the first leg, but slowed down at the home stretch.

But still, she was a star for the team, averaging 19.0 points, 13.1 rebounds with 26 double doubles, having started in 31 games.

“it’s something really great to make a step up and eventually when we get back to playing after the COVID-19 pandemic, I want to keep doing what I do and improve myself as a player because I have bigger targets set,” she offered.

-Basketball was never her thing-

For such massive success, it’s very strange for a person who was never interested in basketball and wanted to pursue nursing instead. For her, sports was so tedious and was never interested at all. But being from a sporting family, she didn’t have quite much of a choice.

Her dad was a former footballer, playing for the defunct Scarlet FC (now Ulinzi Stars) and was part of Kenya’s squad at the 1992 African Cup of Nations in Senegal. Her elder brother Ariel Okal is currently playing in Algeria with US Sportive.

“To be honest I hated sports. I didn’t like sports at all. I didn’t like getting myself tired but at the same time, I wanted to be out on weekends when other students are out for games. So I tried so many things; I tried athletics, I tried netball, I tried football and all,” she narrates.

But it was not until she was in Form Three at Shimba Hills that she was inclined, perhaps forcefully, to basketball by her brother Okal and Shimba coach Philip Onyango.

“She was tall and athletic and I had several openings for basketball and I knew she would make it. I started training her but it was very tough because she wasn’t interested. It’s like we did it by force. She used to cry then go tell mum and dad but instead they would scorn her and tell her to get back to the court,” Okal narrates.

She huffed and puffed while in form three and was part of the school team playing a paltry number of games but it was not until she was in form four that the hidden desire came out. She became a regular in her final year.

“I started enjoying it a bit. I would block people’s shots, throw some baskets in and I would really be happy. I loved the blocking part though. So I decided let me just enjoy it. But still, it wasn’t my thing,” Koranga explains.

Even in her half-hearted enjoying, she managed to lead Shimba to the national and East African School Games title in her final year in 2013. She played all the games from the zonal level to the East African championship.

-End of a forced marriage-

After finishing High School, she thought the little ‘forced marriage’ with basketball was going to suffer a quiet divorce, but the perpetrators of the arranged union, Okal and coach Onyango had other ideas.

While enjoying her free year at their Lanet home in Nakuru, she was called up by Onyango who wanted her to be part of the Kenyan team to the Zone Five Under-18 Championship in Uganda and despite some initial resistance, she finally reported to Nairobi for camp.

“I wasn’t really sure whether I wanted to go but after all I did. We travelled to Uganda after training for only three days and despite losing to the hosts in the first game, we went all the way to clinch the trophy and I was the top points scorer. That’s when I kinda knew I am talented,” she narrates.

Coming back home, Okal, her elder brother couldn’t let the flame die down and wanted to continue fanning it. He took her under the wings of experienced coach Abel Nson who placed her in rigorous training, right from the basics and tried to improve her craft.

Towards the end of 2015, she went back home to Nakuru as she was yet to start college and decided to take a chill. But her dad, being a successful sportsman himself wasn’t interested in seeing his daughter just pull up on the couch and enjoy a whole day of television binging.

“My dad asked me why I wasn’t playing basketball anymore and was staying at home doing nothing. So he asked me to go to 2nd Brigade (Lanet) where there were some guys training and I started playing there. I met another coach there who really went hard on me and when we were not on the court, he would call me to 3KR where we would do weights but the lazy me didn’t like it,” she explains.

Adding; “But my parents really pushed me because they saw something in me. My mum would wake me up to go do morning runs. It was like everyone was on my neck!”

-Bribed with Air Jordans-

Okal corroborates the story stating; “We had to trick her into the game every day. So, dad bought her shoes and a ball and this excited her. She had Air Jordan’s and that was enough ‘bribe’ for her. At least it built up her interest and she felt on top of the world.”

Koranga kept playing and practicing until the start of 2018 when the collegiate basketball call came through. She was excited. “At least I wouldn’t stress out my mum and dad with college fees. Basketball would take care of that. Also, the excitement of playing College basketball was really enticing to me. I had seen it in movies and was excited to be doing it.”

She joined Tyler Junior College at the beginning of 2018 where she would explode into a full-grown star. Her performances were consistent.

But still, it wasn’t smooth on her.

“I was really homesick and at times I would cry because it was so hard. I missed chapati a lot and I had a lot to do to adjust to the new life. I had to change my routine and the way of life. I was used to sitting at home and playing in the evening but here, I would go to class in the morning, go for practice in the afternoon and in the evening I would be in class as well. The summer was also very tough on me and I would get so many rashes on my body. I took time to adjust but eventually I did,” Koranga notes.

But at Tyler, she had the refuge of having two other Kenyans as teammates, one from her hometown of Nakuru while the other one was from Nairobi.

-Made the right decision-

Looking back, from when she was a resistant player at Shimba Hills, she says she feels she made the right decision to listen to everyone around her and bounce some balls.

“I have travelled all over the continent in Africa, and over the last two years, I have been to so many different places in America. It was a good decision to stick to basketball and now, I have dreams of making it bigger,” she notes.

Her brother Okal adds; “I am so proud of the person she has become and at her age has achieved so much more than I had. She is an amazing athlete and I know she is going to amaze us more.”

While three of her sisters also play the game back home, it is her light that has shone the brightest. But, her younger brother and sister, both in the first five of the Menengai High School squad seem to be following in Okal and her footsteps.

But as for now, the spotlight will be on ‘Feli’ as she traverses another two years of Division One College Basketball with her target clearly pinned on the highest platforms of the game; the Eurobasket or the WNBA.

The post From non-interested basketballer, Kenya’s Felmas Koranga hopes to light up Eurobasket appeared first on Capital Sports.

NAIROBI, Kenya, June 22 – Self-discipline, commitment, hard work, passion, coupled with a no-nonsense attitude are unique attributes that have stood Tusker FC tactician Robert Matano through the test of time, well into enviable success in his coaching career.

But the man christened ‘The Lion’ for his insatiable appetite for success is interestingly a laid-back and hilarious man back at his Eastleigh home in Kenya’s capital Nairobi, where he lives with his third wife and kids.

For Matano, family ties supersede all facets of life. He is a man who has managed to sustain an enlarged unit with ease and comfort. He has three wives, and together, they have been blessed to raise five bundles of joy.

His first wife Mary has two children (Brian and Linda), second wife Rosemary has one Kid (Maureen), and the third wife Carol, with whom he lives with at his Eastleigh home has two children. That’s Matano the family man.

The tactician admits that family values have been strong in his desire to do better every day, looking to set a good example not only for his better halves, but also his children and this is his driving force.

For him, family comes first, and from the same family as well, the burning love and desire for football also often fizzles.

For example, his third wife Carol is an ardent supporter of AFC Leopards and has on sundry occasions been spoilt for choice in a match against her husband’s team, Tusker FC.

“Ingwe fans will always understand when we play Tusker. In such instances I always say to them -may the best team win. As much as I have a bias for Ingwe, I also have a soft spot for the team my husband coaches,” Walusanga, mother of two daughters; Cynthia and Sharon, revealed to Capital Sport.

“One day in the stadium I overheard a fan allege that Matano is a superstitious ‘juju man’. After the match, I approached the fan and asked him to dispel rumours he could not substantiate. I have known my husband as a very rational tactician on the bench though sometimes temperamental when things don’t work as he instructs. I sometimes try to persuade him to just explain the point to a player without throwing tantrums,” Walusanga, who drinks and eats football, adds.

– Matano’s eventful social lifestyle –

A roaring lion in the line of duty, Matano, whose coaching portfolio includes giants AFC Leopards, City Stars and Ulinzi Stars, culls out a softer-than-a-puppy version when off the pitch and in social circles.

“When I’m not coaching, I like dancing to some smooth rhumba tunes. I have always loved dancing since I was a boy as it is also part of physical fitness,” a jolly Matano narrates, as he settles down for our interview.

“Regardless of the match outcome, after a game, I always go to the club to listen to music. When you lose a match, music is the only thing to soothe your miseries. When I win, rhumba is still music to my ears,” says the jolly Matano.

As well, having a good time with his wives and kids remains top of his priority even in the midst of a crazy and sometimes consuming coaching career.

Taking small walks in the streets of Eastleigh with his wife tops his hobbies as he looks to breathe some different air from the home environment. He also love to go on some kickabout with his children.

“When I’m not playing football with my kids, I’m either jogging or helping my wife in our family shop,” Matano, the astute and dedicated family man says.

And you will see clearly the effects putting family first has had on his career.

Matano has several feats to savour as he is the only coach in the new Kenyan Premier League (KPL) era to have won the coveted league title twice with different clubs. He first won it with Sofapaka in their league debut in 2009, then lifted it with Tusker FC in 2012.

Matano also won the Football Kenya Federation (FKF) Shield with AFC Leopards in 2017, quenching Ingwe’s thirst after a three-year trophy drought.

As if to prove his uncanny knack on the bench, he also got his mitts on the Fidelity Insurance /SJAK Coach of the Month Award for September/October in 2018.

-Covid-19 restrictions-

Just like most, his usual routine has changed with the advent of the COVID-19 pandemic.

“It was quite a challenge with the lockdown in Eastleigh. But with time, we adapted to the situation. On the sporting side, we were up to scratch with our rhythm at Tusker and ready to move on steadily. But when Gor were declared champions – with no hopes of resumption for the league- we had nothing to do, but to accept and move on,” Matano states.

He adds; “However, if that is the criteria used, then they should give us the CAF Confederation Cup slot for the simple reason that at halfway stage Gor were top on 35 points and we were second on 34,” Matano, a former AFC Leopards player and coach explained.

-Most memorable season-

His most memorable season as a coach was when he won the league with Sofapaka in 2009.

“I got my nickname (lion) from Sofapaka because Club Chairman Elly Kalekwa believed I was a fearless predator with the heart of a lion. I did a lot for Sofapaka as a coach, not only on the bench but put formidable structures in place.”

“We won the Nationwide League in 2008 after three failed attempts and went on to lay our hands on the coveted KPL title the following year and ultimately making a debut in the CAF Champions League competition,” Matano underscored.

He added; “So Kalekwa nicknamed me lion in appreciation of my go-getting knack.”

Matano amiably referred to as Ma 5 (loosely translated as number five in English), by contemporary players, has vivid memories of the 2012 season when he helped Tusker recapture the KPL title against all odds.

“When I came to Tusker in 2012, they had already lost hopes of defending their title. So, I did my best to restore hopes of a crestfallen outfit and they were back on with zest and vigor to emerge the champion on the last day of the league at Hope Centre. Sweet victory I must admit,” with a grin smile on his face, Matano recounts.

-Beating Gor to a title as player

The Lion’s most memorable list of achievements as a player include helping his first love, AFC Leopards win the East and Central Africa Club Championship (CECAFA) for keeps in February 1984, a feat he has always cherished and remembered with nostalgia.

“It was one heck of a cracker considering Gor’s imperious form and their penchant to demolish teams on their Nairobi pool –so they treated us as underdogs not knowing that it’s not over until it’s over.

“In Mombasa, we won narrowly in all preliminary and knockout stages then beat Gor 2-1 which incidentally was our tournament’s highest score in the memorable final. Nyayo Stadium had a fresh turf having only hosted one Senior Challenge match in which JJ Masiga notched home Harambee Star’s solitary goal against Zimbabwe.

“In the preliminaries, we played Simba and Young Africans (Yanga) whom we beat 1-0. We also beat KCC of Uganda who fielded Ugandan legends Moses Nsereko and Godfrey Katerega.

-Worst moments-

For a coach who has had jolly days in his work, there have never lacked moments that he felt awful and a dark cloud hang around his head. Just like it was at Sofaaka where he enjoyed his best moments as a coach, it was at the same club where he almost hit rock bottom.

“I steered Sofapaka from nothing to something. When nothing seemed to go our way, I brought in new players who went on to ride on the crest of the waves. Sadly, they didn’t appreciate my efforts and refused to renew my contract after we disagreed with Prezda (Club president Elly Kalekwa). I didn’t take his sentiments kindly and we had to part ways, unfortunately.” He narrates.

Most recently, it is with Ingwe that he encountered another low.

“In 2018, Ingwe kicked me out of the job after helping them win the GOtv Shield. But all the troubles are now water under the bridge.”

-Football wrangles-

As one of the leaders in Kenya’s coaching circles, Matano is not afraid to post his opinion on the running of the game in the country, especially with the current leadership squabbles that have been taken to the corridors of justice at the Sports Disputes Tribunal.

Matano wants to see sanity prevail in the sport. He wants Football Kenya Federation and KPL officials to burry the hatchet for the sake of our boys and girls and indeed the betterment of the sport’s future.

“I honestly can explain what’s going on at the moment. I don’t know where we are headed. Nothing is moving at the present with coronavirus issues and court cases.”

The tactician also wants County Governments to be more proactive in as far as maintenance of sporting facilities is concerned.

“Football is all about what you invest. Teams like Barcelona and Real Madrid are successful because they have hefty budgets to buy players. We must invest in infrastructure. I believe County Government of Nairobi can do better on this issue. Stadiums like Woodley are a pale shadow of their former self.

“They must be given a facelift. We now have Camp Toyoyo Stadium. Ziwani grounds and Majimbo in Kaloleni can also be improved and this is the only way we will encourage young people to play and appreciate public facilities.”

-KEFOCA should be active-

Meanwhile, Matano candidly admits he is livid with the dire straits that most coaches have had to contend with after retirement.

Former Harambee Stars Coach Marshal Mulwa is the latest coach to be highlighted, struggling to make ends meet and living in a shack in Kitengela.

“Marshal Mulwa is a legend. It is not his fault that he had found himself in such a deplorable situation. Just because things didn’t work out his way, should not be a reason he should languish in obscurity. When KEFOCA was formed in the 70s’, the underlying objective was to look into the welfare of coaches as well as helping them grow their careers. Sadly, they went to sleep. For example, we should have a strong Sacco where members can borrow money when in distress.”

Looking back to his formative years, the Lion wants players to save for posterity.

“My football story is such a sad one. My mum died when I was six years and Dad followed when I was 10 years. I have struggled and this is something I hate talking about. I schooled in many towns across the country and at the mercy of friends. I went to bed on a hungry belly several times. When I played for Hakati FC we used to live with Austin Oduor in Huruma. He is still my best friend.

“On match days we were foes, but very close friends after the shrill of the 90-minute whistle. We would walk home together and that’s what football leaders should live for. It’s our sport and we must protect it.”

-Brewers plans for new season-

While he awaits for the COVID-19 situation to be dealt with and football gets back to the pitch, Matano has his ambitions intact with Tusker FC whom he had hoped to hoist back to Premier League title glory on his second return.

Asked what’s in store for the Brewers, Coach Matano stated: “I can’t talk about plans now because we don’t know when we will be back to normalcy. We have the same outfit, same management and right mind-set. We have our eyes firmly set on good results. We will pick it up from where we left. I was born a winner and I work extra hard to achieve goals.”

The post How family values have hoisted ‘Lion’ Matano to pinnacle of coaching appeared first on Capital Sports.

NAIROBI, Kenya, Jun 23 – The Sports Journalists Association of Kenya (SJAK) has come to the aid of colleagues who have been left struggling to make ends meet either because of salary cuts or job losses due to the effect of the COVID-19 pandemic.

As the Kenya government announced a stimulus package for various sectors that included selected athletes, there has been no direct support for the struggling media industry.

Many freelance sports journalists have been left struggling with all sporting events being put on hold because of the virus, and in marking the Olympic Day on Tuesday, SJAK moved to step in and offer a stimulus to cushion them.

The Olympic Day commemorates the birth of the modern-day Olympic Games.

Journalists and staff working for five leading media groups in the country have had their pay slashed by up to 50pc due to the coronavirus pandemic.

In partnership with the Media Council of Kenya, Fidelity Insurance and fellow sports journalists from around the world, SJAK raised Sh320, 000 [$3200] to purchase various foodstuffs for 50 of their colleagues who are most in need during this period.

SJAK president Chris Mbaisi who spearheaded the initiative on a day that is recognized by journalists and athletes across the world said it was important to spread positivity and share the Olympic values during this difficult period.

“It’s our small way of standing with our colleagues during this difficult period as we hope that things ease up soon and sports return after the lockdown and safe containment of the virus countrywide.”

Mbaisi, who is also the Vice President of the International Sports Press Association (AIPS) Africa noted that sports news correspondents and freelance photographers have been hard hit by the lockdown triggered by the pandemic.

SJAK Treasurer and Capital FM Sports Editor Alex Isaboke added; “Most of our colleagues have faced a tough time because of the pandemic and this is the time that we should come together and help each other out.”

The post SJAK marks Olympic Day with support for journalists amidst Covid-19 difficulties appeared first on Capital Sports.

NAIROBI, Kenya, Jun 23 – Former Harambee Stars defender Wesley Onguso says operating a bodaboda business at his Kawangware backyard does not mean he is broke or poor, but is just a way of complimenting his earnings from football.

The former Gor Mahia and Western Stima defender who has also had a stint in South Sudan was a trending topic on social media two weeks ago after he was pictured on his bike at a bodaboda stage in Kawangware.

Onguso, fondly referred as MCA (Member of County Assembly) by everyone in Kawangware said; “Riding a nduthi (motorbike) is not crime. It does not mean I am broke. As long as you know what you want, it helps you.”

“I was astonished because people made such a big deal out of it. It’s not a bad thing because sometimes, even the rich need to do something on the side no matter how small it looks. Having a motorbike and doing bodaboda business is not a bad thing,” Onguso told Capital Sports.

Onguso says now that there are no football activities due to the COVID-19 pandemic, he saw it wise and fitting to do something on the side, to compliment what he is currently earning after joining Nairobi City Stars last year.

He also adds that he has employed others with three more motorcycles, also operating in the expansive Kawangware area.

“I am happy with what I am doing and the fruits of my work. At least my family is not sleeping hungry and I get something to take home every evening. There’s no need to stay home, just chilling there and wearing stylish clothes while doing nothing with myself,” he explains.

Adding; I have to do something because at the end of the day, I need to find something to take home as an extra. If I do this business, I will take back home some amount which can go a long way in buying small necessities like salt or sugar.”

“I have other bikes and that has enabled me to employ other people and it is one of the things I love; empowering others. They get something and I get something too at the end of the day. I was born and raised in Kawangware and I know the difficulties people go through here,” added the defender, synonymous with his long throw and dead ball specialty that helped Harambee Stars clinch the 2017 CECAFA Senior Challenge Cup.

At the same time, Onguso has urged fellow footballers to put pride aside and get their hands dirty to work and ensure they have something giving them income apart from their daily lives as footballers.

“If I had pride, I would not be on this bike today. Onguso is a known name and that is why I was trending, with people asking why I am riding a bike. If you have your business, do it and feed tour family. Right now with COVID-19, there is no football we are playing,” he notes.

Onguso was part of the squad that helped City Stars earn promotion back to the top tier after four years of wait and he believes they will be a force to reckon with in the Kenyan Premier League next season.

With a strong financial backing, the Kawangware based outfit has been able to stabilize the unit after years of struggle.

“I am really happy to have seen City Stars earn promotion because this is my home team. I was born in Kawangware and when the team was still called World Hope, I was a ball boy at Hope Centre and being part of the squad that helped them gain promotion back to KPL is amazing,” he says.

The left wingback adds; “I won the KPL with Gor Mahia, now I have won the NSL with City Stars and I am proud. Next season, we will be a force to reckon with in the league and everyone will know we are back,” the bullish Onguso added.

He has also declared an interest in getting back to the national team and says he will put in a shift to attract the eye of the selectors led by head coach Francis Kimanzi.

The post Operating a bodaboda does not mean I am broke or poor, says ex Stars defender Onguso appeared first on Capital Sports.

NAIROBI, Kenya, Jun 25 – Athletics Kenya Boss Lt. Gen (Rtd) Jackson Tuwei remains hopeful that the postponed World Under-20 Championship will be slotted for next year, after being pushed from its initial July date due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

With the Continental Tour already rescheduled for September, Athletics Kenya (AK) hopes that Kenya’s other global event, the World Under-20 will also get a new date.

“We have been in talks with World Athletics and by the end of the month we will know when the competition will be held. They had wanted to take it to 2022, but we said no, we want to have it at least next year. We have been discussing around that so hopefully we get a favorable response,” Tuwei stated on Thursday.

Having successfully hosted the World Under-18 Championship in 2017, the country was looking forward to another huge event, but with the advent of the COVID-19 pandemic, the same wasn’t possible.

Meanwhile, AK says it will continue holding camps for the selected athletes to train once the current government restrictions are lifted.

AK established camps in all its regions last year where a selected group of athletes was put up before the trials to select the team.

Meanwhile, AK has continued to support the athletes in camp at this difficult time by offering food and cash stimulus to help them remain afloat and focused at this time. On Thursday, they gave the stimulus to over 40 athletes in the Nairobi camp.

“We have 20 different camps and Nairobi becomes our 17^th camp to visit. We want to ensure that all athletes remain focused and we do the little we can do to help them deal with the effects of the pandemic,” AK Youth Committee chair Barnaba Korir stated.

The Committee will next visit the Coast Region where they will conduct the same exercise before concluding with a trip to North Eastern to help cushion the young athletes.

The post Athletics Kenya hopeful World Under-20 Championship will be slotted for 2021 appeared first on Capital Sports.

NAIROBI, Kenya, Jun 25 – The National Olympic Committee of Kenya (NOCK) in partnership with the Kenya National Sports Council (KNSC) have disbursed food relief to 150 veteran athletes who represented Kenya in various international events up to 2004.

NOCK gave a total of Sh500,000 as seed capital to the project and working with the KNSC have identified needy athletes and heroes of yester-years who will benefit from the program.

They will be handed food stimulus to help them remain comfortable especially at this time when most of their activities outside sports have been directly or indirectly affected by the COVID-19 pandemic.

The program was flagged off on Thursday by Sports Cabinet Secretary Amina Mohamed.

“I want to apologize to the veteran athletes because we have forgotten about them in some way. We are trying to correct that and we have asked for a list to be prepared of our legends with their contacts. We want to approach them directly so that they have something to support them not only now but also later,” CS Amina said as she presided over the function at the Nyayo National Stadium.

She added; “I am happy with this program that we started two months ago and I am pleased because the Federations have taken it up and provided support for the needy athletes. We will continue doing this until the issue of COVID-19 is over.”

Sports Council official Charles Nyaberi stated that they have identified an initial list of 150 athletes from all over the country but are looking to expand the lost to 200 depending on the finances they get.

“We have targeted 150 but maybe the list will grow to 200. We are starting with food but we are looking to mobilize resources to offer more support maybe for rent tokens. We are looking at the next one month to see whether we can offer more support,” Nyaberi told Capital Sport.

Athletes from all over the country and from all disciplines have been considered and among the greats who were at Nyayo Stadium on Thursday to receive their share is veteran boxer Suleiman Bilali.

Meanwhile, NOCK and KNSC have partnered Roy Parcel Services (RPS) to transport the relief to athletes who are outside the capital with Nyaberi saying it has helped cater for almost 30 percent of the budget.

RPS Managing Director Tehseen Omar says the company made the decision to offer a free service for the program as part of its Community Social Responsibility activities.

“I have just come into the management and we are trying to build on the CSR of RPS. We feel that this is the best way to do that because we are helping to provide to the most needy first especially at this time of the COVID-19 pandemic. We are also looking to do more in the near future,” Ms Omar stated.

At the same time, the Ministry says it has reached out to over 2400 athletes through its cash stimulus program while even more have benefited from food packages distributed to them.

CS Amina says they are looking to expand the program to ensure they reach most of the needy athletes who have been left struggling after most sports events were cancelled.

The post NOCK, Sports Council offer food stimulus to 150 veteran athletes appeared first on Capital Sports.