NAIROBI, Kenya, February 15 – Tonny Opondo and youngster Bush Mwale grounded a brace of tries apiece to help Kenya earn sweet revenge against Argentina with a 24-21 victory to lift the Bowl trophy as the Las Vegas 7s concluded Sunday night at Sam Boyd Stadium.

The win saw Shujaa collect eight points at the fifth round of the HSBC Sevens World Series and remain 12th on the log on 29 with four legs remaining as Fiji turned the heat on New Zealand to win the Main Cup with a 35-19 walloping as Australia won the Plate after beating England 21-14.

Series leaders and Las Vegas defending champions South Africa settled for third after thrashing hosts USA 31-0 as Portugal beat Wales 19-12 to lift the Shield.

“It was a good game,” said Opondo. “The Argentines were really tough in attack and we needed to make up for losing to them in the pool stages in the last few rounds. This win also makes up for losing to Fiji here last year.”

Felix ‘Toti’ Ochieng charges were relegated to the Bowl after England ended their dreams of reaching a second successive Main Cup quarters this season with a 21-14 loss in their last group B fixture.

Shujaa who edged out Samoa 19-5 in the semis to storm the Bowl final, ended their rotten run of three losses this season against the Pumas when they displayed a fantastic game in-front of the crowd in Vegas where they draw massive support.

Homeboyz youngster Mwale showed he is worth selection amongst experienced players when he set the pace after missing a tackle from the left to go under the post as Lavin Asego kick went through for a 7-0 lead.

The South Americans levelled minutes to the hooter through Santiago Alvarez after a swift move upfield to see both sides locked at 7-7 to the interval.

Kenya turned up rampant on the restart with Opondo bagging a quick-fire brace to send the players into a series of dances as he scored his fourth try in the tournament before Mwale secured his second with an easy run-in from another well calculated Asego pass who converted all the tries.

A bump and run at the death by Segundo Tuculet gave Argentina a decent ending when Dennis Muhanji was sent to the sin bin as Francisco Merello bettered it with diagonal run through the defences but time was against them as Kenya held on to grab the Bowl.

Against Samoa, Michael Wanjala put Shujaa ahead from a quick taken penalty at the edge of the try line as Asego’s conversion went through.

Samoa Toloa reduced the lead two minutes later when he burst from the centre and touch down on the left corner as the half-time buzzer went on.

Kenya improved their performance on the restart, executing their passes well with Lavin intercepting a lapse pass and sprint to touch down behind the post to extend the lead and score his third try in the tournament.

Asego created the third and final try when he brilliantly set Billy Odhiambo with a huge 20-yard aerial pass, who broke through in to the right corner for his fourth try in Las Vegas.

-No mercy-

In the Bowl quarters, Shujaa showed no mercy to the Portuguese scoring three tries against their single converted try

Portugal set the pace after Aderito Esteves exploited Shujaa’s defence to find space and go under the post, but Skipper Andrew Amonde turned on with a speedy response before the break to reduce Portugal’s lead to two.

Lavin Asego lifted Kenya on resumption when he turned over in the dying minutes to add on Odhiambo’s try as Kenya booked a date with Samoa in the Semis.

The early match of day two saw Kenya who have shown marked improvement in the last two legs once again could not beat the team that denied them a first Main Cup win two seasons ago in the Wellington 7s final after England ran out 21-14 victors.

Oscar Ayodi and Opondo scored the only converted tries for Kenya with Richard de Carpentier, Thomas Bowen and Charlie Hayter grounding for England.

AUSTIN, February 16- Kenya’s Hyvon Ngetich brought the crowd to tears when she crawled to third place at Sunday’s Austin Marathon after collapsing whilst leading the women’s elite race.

Ngetich was well on course for victory at the 23 mile mark, but by the time she got to the finish, her body had given out and she was crawling on all fours.

Race volunteers were there with a wheelchair, which she refused to use. She even had to pause to gather up her energy to continue her determined crawl to the finish.

Afterwards, Austin Marathon race director John Conley said to her, “You ran the bravest race and crawled the bravest crawl I have ever seen in my life. You have earned much honour, and I am going to adjust your prize money, so you get the same prize money you would have gotten if you were second.”

Compatriots Betram Keter of Kenya won the men’s in 2:16:21 with Cynthia Jerop passing her crawling countrywoman to take the women’s race in 2:54:22. Ngetich’s personal record in the marathon is 2:34:42.

-I don’t remember-

“I was like winning, you know. I was 500 kilometers in front. I looked back and I didn’t see anybody,” said Ngetich.

Things didn’t go as planned for Ngetich.

“For the last two kilometres, I don’t remember. Finish line, I have no idea,” said Ngetich.

Ngetich was running on empty with less than a mile to go. Her body shut down on the final stretch.

“When she came around the corner on her hands and knees, I have never, in 43 years of being involved in this sport, have seen a finish like that,” said Race Director John Conley.

“Running, always you have to keep going, going,” said Ngetich.

With nurses by her side, she crawled inch-by-inch down Congress Avenue. If anyone helped her, Ngetich would have been disqualified. So the crowd watched as she struggled and cheered as she pushed through the pain.

“They saw that spirit and that hard-wired athletic commitment to get to the finish,” said Conley.

“I remember the lady, the bicycle lady, she was telling me, ‘You are almost,’ so I was just like going because I’m almost,” said Ngetich.

With every last drop of determination she had, Ngetich crossed the finish line on her hands and knees.

“Oh God, thank you, I crossed,” said Ngetich.

Just before Ngetich finished, Austin runner Hannah Steffan passed her and took second place.

“[Ngetich] finished without any help and got a very honorable third place,” said Conley.

-Compiled from Fox Austin and Keye TV

Video credit Fox 7 News

NAIROBI, Kenya, February 16- Football Kenya Federation and Kenyan Premier League have until Wednesday to unlock their impasse over the 2015 top tier league or Cabinet Secretary for Sports, Culture and Arts, Dr. Hassan Wario will turn to the Sports Act to find a solution.

Both sides failed to come to agreement in a stormy meeting at the minister’s offices in Nairobi on Monday with KPL chairman, Ambrose Rachier, briefly addressing the media after upon the conclusion of the talks as the country awaits an end to the impasse that has led to parallel leagues.

“In short we have been told to sit down and resolve the matter, if we do not at the end of Wednesday the ministry will take action as advised under the Sports Act.

“We have always been open for discussion and we remain open to fruitful discussions,” Rachier said.

FKF president, Sam Nyamweya, declined to comment with Wario just offering, “Hopefully we shall get an amicable solution by Wednesday,” as he walked out of the venue.

Long faces emerged from the four-hour closed door meeting; an indication of the collapse of the latest effort to hammer an agreement between the two bitterly opposed bodies as they parted ways separately.

KPL was represented by CEO Jack Oguda, Sofapaka president Elly Kalekwa, Mathare United chairman Bob Munro and his counterparts from AFC Leopards Allan Kasavuli and KCB’s George Odhiambo.

FKF boss Nyamweya came his entire National Executive Committee; vice-president Robert Asembo, CEO Michael Esakwa, Simon Mugo (Nairobi), Tom Alila (Nyanza), Angeline Mwikali (Eastern) and Doris Petra in tow.

Both FKF and KPL have been on a stand- off on who should run the 2015 league with the federation pressing an 18-team format with Shabana FC and Nakumatt FC kicking-off their competition in Machakos on Sunday where the former prevailed 1-0.

KPL are firm on a16-team topflight scheduled to start this weekend with the backing of the teams that survived last season as well as Nairobi City Stars and Nakuru All Stars who were relegated.

In earlier doomed efforts to resolve the stalemate, KPL walked out of their meeting with FIFA and FKF three weeks ago, after the latter failed to make available the FIFA consultant’s report which had been in their custody since November 20.

Kenya risks a ban from FIFA if the Wednesday meeting that will be attended by all club heads and FKF NEC members does not bear fruit and the minister intervenes under Fifa statutes that forbid Government interference in the sport.

Wario summoned both parties on the eve of a Parliamentary summon on Tuesday as directed by deputy speaker Lonah Laboso to answer questions concerning wrangles in sports federations in the country.

NAIROBI, Kenya, February 17 –Retired and active athletes led by two time Boston champion Moses Tanui and former marathon world record holder Wilson Kipsang have ramped up the pressure on Athletics Kenya (AK) president Isaiah Kiplagat by urging the Government to disband the federation executive for failing to end stem wrangles.

The 15 runners who also included former two-time world 800m champion Billy Kinchellah tabled their concerns to Cabinet Secretary for Sports Dr Hassan Wario, whom they requested to form an interim committee to run the sport at his office in Nairobi.

“We have put our issues on the table and the minister is having a look at them. We still have a court case going on and the decision is due this month so we want to take step by step to make sure what we are doing is correct.

“Our main goal is to replace AK officials and I believe we have Olympians, World champions and record holders who are capable or even doing better than them. We are calling for the whole executive to be disbanded,” said Konchellah who won the 1989 and 1991 world 800m titles.

Kipsang who is the president of Professional Athletes Association of Kenya (PAAK) said they are ready to bring change to the most successful federation in the country since AK top brass has failed to embrace dialogue.

“Those who are affected are the athletes and when that office is not in order; we athletes so if the issues are not addressed, then it will be difficult for runners to represent the country well.

“We are ready to push forward for change through our new association because we know where the problem is. AK’s constitution locks out retired and active athletes from expressing their views and there is no way we can air our grievances,” Kipsang who won Sh45.7m (USD500, 000) World Majors Bonus last year on the back of his London and New York Marathon victories expressed.

Speaking after a five hour meeting at the minister’s office in Nairobi, retied athlete’s chairman Tanui, said the meeting was fruitful.

“This is a long process and we have just started, this is our first meeting with the minister who has promised to help us out. We must put things straight and as stakeholders we are advocating for change.”

Among the grievances they wanted addressed is doping where they claimed AK seems not to take seriously confirmed cases of drug cheating.

The athletes also complained of allowances and prize money, citing the recent case at last year’s world relay championships in Bahamas where they alleged the prize money was deducted.

Their other concern was lack of proper kit during major championships, team selections and composition of the Executive Committee office which they said had no athlete representative.

Other former world beaters who attended the meeting are 1987 world marathon champion Douglas Wakiihuri, 1988 5000m Olympic champion John Ngugi, 2008 Beijing 800m Olympic champion Wilfred Bungei, Daniel Komen (world champion 1997 Athens), Shem Kororia, Stephene Ole Marai, Mwangi Mutua, Edwin Koech, Joshua Chelang’a, Ruth Waithera, Atori Boru, William Tanui, Justin Jepchirchir and Tecla Sang.

Kiplagat has come under fire from athletes and 14 AK branch affiliate chairmen who want him step down from the seat he has held for over five terms.

PARIS, February 17- Athletics global governing body is to launch a doping crackdown on elite marathon runners after scandals involving top Kenyan and Russian stars.

Organisers of the top races in London, New York, Boston, Chicago, Tokyo and Berlin have agreed to finance extra testing of top runners by the International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF).

The finance from World Marathon Majors (WMM) means that the top 150 runners will face tougher testing after races and out of competition.

Failed tests by Russia’s Liliya Shobukhova, who was the second fastest women in history, and Kenya’s Rita Jeptoo, three time winner of the Boston marathon, sullied the name of one of the original Olympic disciplines.

Jeptoo — who in the past two years has achieved the Chicago/Boston double — was one of 35 Kenyan athletes suspended over the past two years for taking banned drugs.

The WMM “offered their contribution to our programme,” said Thomas Capdevielle, the IAAF’s anti-doping manager, announcing the clampdown.

He said it “basically means systematic ABP (athletes biological passport) testing at the races on all the elite field, as we have been doing for the past two years, but also urine tests out of competition.”

Drug investigators would have “more resources to follow a group of 100-250 elite marathon runners in the world,” Capdevielle added.

“So we will have like a sub-group that we will very closely followup.”

He added that a new drug testing laboratory to be opened in Kenya within three months would be a “significant achievement.”

Capdevielle called it a “priority project” that would analyse blood tests on Kenyan, Ethiopian, and Ugandan athletes.

Shobukhova was banned for two years in April, 2014 over suspicious blood values in her biological passport. Her three wins at the Chicago marathon and one at the London race were all annulled.

The suspension was backdated by the Russian federation to January 2013 and Shobukhova theoretically became free to run again last month.

Capdevielle said marathon runners are harder to monitor for drugs as they compete less often.

But the IAAF had long been suspicious of Shobukhova’s performances. The Russian won three Chicago marathons in a row up to 2011 and the London version in 2010.

“When we started the passport in 2009 she was on our list of go-after athletes, definitely,” the IAAF told a press briefing.

“It was typical data probably suggesting a doping pattern. Yes she was suspicious,” he added.

“There was not only this data, there was other information on Shobukhova. We do not only focus on blood data, we focus on the rise in performance,” said Capdevielle.

“We work a bit like the police — intelligence and eyeing this information and trying to use it in the best possible way — and that is why her and other athletes were already on our target list when we started the passport on day 1.”

Capdevielle said that 42 athletes have now been caught and sanctioned because of biological passport faults. More than half of them are Russian.

JOHANNESBURG, February 17- With 800m to go, a turn of devastating acceleration was all Japan-based Bedan Karoki needed to finally dispose of the stern challenge of World Half Marathon titleholder, Geoffrey Kipsang Kamworor and hold on to his Kenyan cross country title senior men 12km title in a blistering finish to an intense contest.

With that, Karoki headed the queue of Kenya’s squad that will aim at retaining the Holy Grail of the World Cross in Guiyang, China next month hoping to make history and finally snap the jinx of successive domestic champions failing to add the senior 12km at the global showpiece.

Winning the signature race at an event dubbed mini-World Cross has duly accorded Karoki the spotlight ahead of the global showpiece that will be held on March 28 as he hopes to buck a baffling trend.

At the Bydgoszcz World Cross last term, Philemon Rono went in as the Kenyan champion only to finish 36th where unheralded Japheth Korir stunned everyone to become the country’s fifth senior men titleholder.

“The race was tough but I gave myself the heart to succeed since we had tough guys running here again. This time around, I will not let the chance (to run for my country) go. I have enough stamina and I believe I will do well at the World Cross,” Karoki said after completing the dry course in 35:08 to hold on to the crown he won last year where he declined to compete for his nation at the Africa Cross Country Championships in Kampala.

Legendary five-time World Cross champions, John Ngugi (1986) and Paul Tergat (1995 and 96) are the only athletes in the distinguished history of Kenya at World Cross to return with the biggest prize home after winning domestic trials.

Major Paul Koech, who bettered Tergat on three occasions at home, never won the World Cross whilst in the last five editions Rono (2013), Geoffrey Mutai (2011), Paul Tanui (2010), Moses Mosop (2009) and Gideon Ngatuny (2008) all failed to turn local dominance to global victory.

“I have enough endurance in the 12K this year and I’m looking forward to do something in China. I knew no one would follow me through in the last 1K and when they relented, I went for it. I had lost hope but after recovering, I did some training and came here determined to make the team,” Karoki, who missed three weeks of training, last month with a stomach acid infection, added.

He is determined to become only the second athlete from Nyahururu to bag the World Cross title after Ngugi and he has been receiving tips from the first man in history to win it five times before Tergat matched the feat and Ethiopia’s Kenenisa Bekele went one better as the most decorated champion at the now biennial global showpiece.

“Sometimes I speak to him and he tells me cross country is the best build-up to the track season and it would make me proud to achieve what he did. He gives me important tips on how to approach big races,” Karoki, 24, who is targeting a place in the 10,000m team for summers’ World Championship in Beijing, explained.

His manager, Federico Rosa, of the Italian based Rosa Associati firm believes his client has what it takes to translate his commanding form at home into global success.

“He’s much focused and this was the plan from what we discussed with his coach to be ready for cross country and win the title in China. The World Cross will be a good a good target for his debut in the marathon and this is a good sign.

“It would be very important for him as the second person from his area to win the World Cross title but it will be difficult to do it but he is determined. He was sick but he recovered and showed he is a smart guy who knows what do,” Rosa explained.

-By SuperSport.com

NAIROBI, Kenya, February 17 – Gor Mahia head coach Frank Nuttall is confident new signing Michael Olunga will soon find his range after the former Tusker FC forward spurned opportunities to open his K’Ogalo account at last weekend’s CAF Champions League clash against CNaPS.

Olunga was also wasteful in their DSTv/SuperSport Cup win over Sofapaka three days before the continental preliminary round first-leg opener with the 21 year-old Technical University of Kenya student yet to score in six matches he’s featured following his move from the Brewers.

However, he has been instrumental upfront, setting up all three goals netted by Tusker teammate and the returning midfielder, Ali Abondo in their 2-1 win over Sofapaka and 1-0 victory over CNaPS.

“The job of a striker is not only to score but to create opportunities for other players. I’m really impressed with Olunga’s focus of running through off the ball and support he offers to the team.

“I’m a believer the more chances a striker get the more experience they gain and they make some evaluation from that. I’m sure that’s what Olunga and other strikers are going,” Nuttall told Capital Sport.

“He has the ability to get in scoring positions and as well as that, he is young and fairly inexperienced and has played well. He is one of the players that we can look upon to in our squad selection,” the coach added.

-Slender advantage-

After narrowly beating visitors Madagascar’s champions, Gor find themselves in a similar position they were last year when a 76th minute penalty from former forward Dan Sserunkuma helped them prevail against Gabonese side US Bitam before eliminating them 4-2 on penalties in the return leg.

K’Ogalo who had not had a competitive match until Wednesday’s encounter against Sofapaka, looked heavy laden especially in the second half where CNaPS returned strongly but new keeper Boniface Oluoch was on top of his game to deny the Madagascans an away goal.

Nuttall who started with nine new signings will be hoping his charges adopt quickly before the second leg as he redeployed Godfrey Walusimbi to his left back position while Kevin Oluoch who has been playing in the central defence, was pushed to the right to swap with Musa Mohammed.

The Scotsman did not have a lone striker as last season when Sserunkuma was tasked in the role as he went with Timothy Otieno and Olunga.

Nuttall will likely make changes in the midfield where Jerry Santos was ineffective before he was substituted as he has Collins Okoth and Eric Ochieng at his disposal.

“All players are equally in competition in the squad, Ochieng is a tough boy and is coming from a slight injury but Okoth missed a number of training sessions and as a result he is not fit to start.

“Oluoch he played his part well as a keeper and defender to make sure our opponents did not score but we have to give credit to CNaPS who played decent football,” Nuttall stated.

“The return leg will be tough but we are advantaged since we will be away. Our focus now is on the season opener against Mathare United on Sunday and that match will help us a lot as we prepare for the return leg.”

The second leg will be played February 27 in Antananarivo.

NAIROBI, Kenya, February 17 – Two sets of officials claiming Kenya Rugby Union (KRU) leadership on Tuesday agreed to go for arbitration before conducting an Annual General Meeting to resolve their differences after meeting Sports Cabinet Secretary, Dr. Hassan Wario in his office, a highly placed source at the ministry told Capital Sport.

The same source confirmed contrary to widespread reports, the minister had not disbanded Football Kenya Federation (FKF) and appointed a caretaker committee in its place.

“We have no problem with rugby. Both sides agreed to go for arbitration and seek an amicable solution and when the process is done, they will hold an AGM to elect their leaders.

“They agreed to close ranks and a solution in the sport will be found soon,” our informant stated.

“That is not true,” the source added on disbandment of FKF mainitaing. “We have not talked about football today, the minister spent the whole morning with KRU and we are still waiting for FKF and KPL to hold their talks as planned tomorrow (Wednesday) morning.”

According to the highly placed source, Wario met KRU the group led by Sasha Mutai who was elected chairman at a Special General Meeting last week.

Interim chairman Gabriel Ouko who took over mid December after Mwangi Muthee resigned from the post is out of the country with the national 7s side and returns Wednesday morning.

Principal Secretary in the ministry, Jasper Rugut has been pencilled in to chair the arbitration process.

“Yes, we have agreed to go for arbitration because the Government was not happy with two groups claiming leadership of the union. We shall begin this process as soon as we receive word from the other side they are ready.

“We support efforts to bring the sport together,” Mutai told Capital Sport.

Last Monday, a new board led by Mutai as interim boss, Gerald Chege as his vice, Okoth as the Secretary General and Joshua Aromi as treasurer was ushered in to the Union with former national Sevens head coach Benjamin Ayimba, Kennedy Monari, Patrick Mwangi, Daniel Kimoro, Ochieng Ohaya and Doris Mwanzia appointed as Directors.

Ayimba declined his nomination with Ouko and his Secretary General Eddie Omondi terming the SGM that led to the leadership overhaul illegal and in contravention of a court order issued by Kisumu Magistrate Court stopping it with the new officials saying the court had no jurisdiction over a national matter in pressing on with their meeting.

Three days later, 18 affiliate clubs released a statement distancing themselves from the process that brought the leadership change with KRU’s Annual General Meeting scheduled for the end of next month.

 – Hope for FKF, KPL spat-

According to the Government informant, the ministry is still holding out for a solution from the planned Wednesday Joint Executive Committee meeting between FKF and KPL to resolve their stand-off over the format and administration of the 2015 Premier League.

“We shall see how it goes after tomorrow (Wednesday). We are told they have agreed on who will be on the meeting and it is our hope this issue can rest.”

Kenya risks a world governing body Fifa ban should the Government step in to resolve the issue although that has not stopped the State in the past when trying to enforce normalcy in a sport with its history of leadership wrangles.

Wario told both sides he would not hesitate to inject a remedy in accordance with the Sports Act to end the stalemate that has seen two parallel top flight competitions for 2015.

The FKF Premier League kicked-off last Sunday with only one game on the card as visiting Shabana FC beat Nakumatt FC 1-0, with the two clubs who are not allied to KPL having their membership, along Kakamega Homeboyz, disputed by the league management company that insists on a 16-team competition as opposed to the 18 rooted for by the federation.

NAIROBI, Kenya, February 17 – Former Ugandan Rally champion Jas Mangat is the only new entrant for the 2015 KCB Kenya National Rally Championship (KNRC) season opener that revs off this weekend in Kisumu.

Mangat is competing at the KNRC on a Kenyan competition licence.

This year’s edition which returns to Chemelil and Chemase regions for the third time will go down in history as the first event to usher in the high-end R5 technology machines launched in 2012 to replace Group A and N cars.

Rajbir Rai navigated by Timothy Challen and Manvir Baryan co-driven Drew Sturrock will debut the Ford Fiesta monstrosities with top R5 rating.

On Monday, Clerk of Course; Renu Pipi, said the route is in good condition despite heavy rains in Chemase, noting the event is expanding after attracting 37 drivers, seven up from last year.

“We have drivers with new cars and it will be good competition, it’s been raining in Kisumu but all roads are passable.

“It’s going to be challenging since we expect more rains this weekend, little bit muddy will be exciting for the drivers who will get stiff competition from the two foreign drivers,” Pipi said.

Spectators will be treated with the new state of the art machines after Baryan upgraded from Subaru N16 to the Ford.

Nakuru based Kabras Sugar Racing driver Onkar Rai will be the first off the ramp and will be navigated by Zimbabwean Gareth Dawe in a Mitsubishi Lancer EVO X.

Onkar’s teammate and KNRC champion Baldev Singh Chager in a similar car will be next off with Finland and British Rally Champion Tapio Laukkanen in a Subaru GVB13 in third.

Tapio who participated in last year’s Kisumu event is no stranger on Kenyan soil having already trained locals and competed in the 2012 Guru Nanak Rally which he retired while leading.

Ian Duncan in a Nissan Patrol, Carl ‘Flash’ Tundo in a Proton S2000 and Alastair Cavenagh also in a Proton follow in that order.

Two-wheel drive defending champion; Leonardo Varese is raring for a good season after retiring in Safari Rally and Mombasa last year but pointed out veteran Gurmit Thethy, Eric Bengi and Sammy Nyorri as competition to his crown.

“We are hoping for the best in Kisumu, we had done all we can to prepare the car though we began late but we are ready to try and defend the title.

“It will be tough so everyone will have to pull up their socks, Bengi who won two rounds last year is quick and his car is a bit more powerful than mine and he will want to prove the point.

“Nyorri has upgraded from a Toyota Vitz to the sturdier Toyota Run X while Thethy has been there for nine years so they will give me a run for my money. I like driving on mud so the rains won’t give me problems,” Varese added.

Drivers will compete over three stages which will be repeated twice to make up a cumulative competitive mileage of 141.18km and a liaison distance of 228.60km.

The longest stage is the 36km Miwani-Chemase stage while the shortest is a 15km stretch at Simba. The third stage is the Nucleus run totaling 20.8km.

NAIROBI, February 18- Kenya 7s head coach Felix ‘Toti’ Ochieng is targeting Main Cup quarter runs at the sixth and seventh legs of the HSBC World Sevens Series in Hong Kong and Japan after leading the team to their most successful tour to date in Wellington and Las Vegas.

Kenya who were languishing in relegation danger after an underwhelming start to the campaign finally made the last eight in New Zealand where their run ended at the Plate semis before lifting the Bowl in Las Vegas last weekend for 18 points that placed them 12th on the log.

However, Ochieng’ who spoke when the team was hosted to a reception by sponsors Kenya Airways at a Nairobi hotel after their arrival from the USA on Wednesday morning; admitted his charges have a mountain to climb in the blue riband Hong Kong 7s where they are drawn against former Kenya head coach Mike Friday’s USA, England and Wales.

“There is no easy pool, it’s a challenging and exciting pool that gives us opportunity to build on our performance. We shall not single out one team though I know many people are eagerly waiting to see how our game against USA goes.

“The players have shown a lot of character in the two legs, yes we made mistakes but as we went on we picked up the rhythm. It was challenging at the beginning but we kept on progressing since we knew we had to restore our country’s pride,” Ochieng who was making his debut on the world tour since replacing former head coach, Paul Treu underscored.

The team that will be welcoming veteran Humphrey Kayange, fly half Biko Adema and Andrew Lugonzo, Fabian Olando as well as Michael Agevi from injuries, will seek improvement in ball handling and defence that saw them lose to Argentina 14-19 and 14-21 to England in Las Vegas.

“We are in the process of perfection, the players had passion, they went there without fear and favour and that’s why they achieved the results in such a short turn around.

“The more we train together the more we strengthen our defence and we will be working hard in training to see everyone perfects his role. The return of injured players will bring competitiveness but they have to pass the fitness test for them to fight for the positions,” Ochieng’ added.

- Getting better-

Skipper Andrew Amonde was confident the team will finish the season in a respectable position since everybody was comfortable unlike when Treu was in charge.

“We did our best and we are satisfied with what we got from the two rounds, we are still going to work hard and perfect on our weakness to make sure we improve on the rankings.

“We were not surprised when we lost our first game against Argentina in Wellington because we knew we could bounce back. We are very ready to play anyone in Hong Kong since played those teams when we were at our worse. We are not satisfied at where we are and are not going to get tired until we achieve our goals,” Amonde explained.

The team will break for 10 days break before resuming training to prepare for the sixth and seventh legs.

Kenya has already lost hope on earning an automatic qualification for the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.

NAIROBI, February 18- Heated D-day discussions between Football Kenya Federation and Kenyan Premier League to unlock the stand-off over composition and running of the 2015 domestic Premier League are underway at Nairobi’s Southern Sun Hotel amid tight security.

FKF president, Sam Nyamweya and all federation big guns as well as the top brass of KPL led by chairman Ambrose Rachier and CEO, Jack Oguda, are converged to seek a lasting solution to a crisis that has seen both insist on pushing their Premier Leagues in a confusing start to the current top flight season.

Reports from the venue indicate the protagonists are nowhere near a solution with a strained atmosphere and hardline stands from both parties providing stumbling blocks with KCB chairman, George Odhiambo, who left the tense room for a break muttering, “We are still discussing the same issue all over again and no solution yet.”

Nyamweya is chairing the session with the KPL side is feeling short changed since there is no one to mediate the crunch meeting that leaves them without command to air their views according Odhiambo who is also the financial officer for the league company.

In what could be a red letter day for Kenyan football, failure to broker an agreement to unlock the stalemate that started as soon as the 2014 season ended last November when FKF announced the expansion of the league to 18 teams as opposed to KPL’s insistence on a 16-team format could see the Government step in to force a resolution.

Already, talk both entities could be disbanded and caretaker committees to run football and the league appointed have gathered momentum in what would inevitably attract a Fifa ban for State interference in accordance to the world body statutes.

Capital Sport’s, Alex Isaboke, at the scene, reports the two parties are locked in closed door discussions with police officers guarding the conference room where what is viewed as a last chance saloon for both parties to thrash out consensus to avert the threat made on Monday by Sports Cabinet Secretary, Dr. Hassan Wario, he will invoke the Sports Act to end the crisis by close of business Wednesday.

FKF have remained steadfast in the 18-league format through three Joint Executive Committee meetings since December and Monday’s sitting at Wario’s office with their KPL counterparts who have stuck to their 16-team guns.

On Sunday, the competition christened FKF Premier League kicked-off in Machakos with Shabana FC beating home Nakumatt FC 1-0 with the KPL scheduled to start this weekend with defending champions, Gor Mahia FC facing 2008 winners Mathare United in one of the key fixtures.

Among the sticking issues besides the number of teams at the centre of the standoff is a multimillion shilling broadcast deal with South Africa’s pay television providers, SuperSport that has roped in 16 KPL sides in a new contract running until 2021 with FKF contracting MP&S agency to sell the same broadcast rights on their behalf.

Promotion of Shabana FC, Nakumatt FC, Kakamega FC and Posta Rangers FC to the Premier League from FKF Nationwide Super Leagues is also being contested by KPL who claim boardroom interference with FKF boss Nyamweya accused of forcefully pushing Shabana that hails from his home region to the top flight, a claim he has strenuously denied.

The other sticking issue is the federation’s accusations KPL is arrogating themselves the right to run the league which is the preserve of the governing body as mandated by Fifa with FKF maintaining they have the right to give any entity the mandate to run the top flight on their behalf, going as far as to withdraw the latter’s authority to run the league at a Special General Meeting held in Kakamega last month.

Besides officials from both sides, club chairmen; James Musyoki (Tusker), George Odhiambo (KCB), Moses Adagala (Muhoroni), Ambrose Rachier (Gor Mahia), Allan Kasavuli ( AFC Leopards), Elly Mboni Kalekwa (Sofapaka), Jared Nivaton Shabana), Cleophas Toto Shimanyula (Kakamega Homeboyz), Laban Jobita (Western Stima), Robert Muthomi (Nakuru Allstars),Bob Munro (Mathare United), Nakumatt FC and Jared Livaton (Shabana FC) are in the meeting.

Yet to arrive by going to press are Ulinzi, Chemelil, Sony, Bandari and Thika United bosses.

NAIROBI, Kenya, February 18- Kenya football has lost on Wednesday after last-ditch talks between Football Kenya Federation and Kenyan Premier League to resolve the 2015 Premier League standoff collapsed after a day of grandstanding, divisions and ultimately failure to thrash out an agreement between the feuding bodies.

The second round of deliberations at Nairobi’s Southern Sun Hotel; with three representatives from both parties in the afternoon after heated exchanges in the morning session; came to a premature close when KPL officials walked out after FKF floated suggestion of settling the matter with a vote claiming this method was skewed heavily against them in numbers.

“There was no agreement, we were told to agree and not to vote, I do not know what the minister will say but the fact is that we have not agreed on anything.

“The contentious issue is that we have not known why we are required to have 18 teams and why now, nobody has given us an expiation,” the defiant chairman of the league management body, Ambrose Rachier, who alongside Sofapaka’s Elly Kalekwa and KCB’s George Odhiambo were the three representatives for their side in the last round of discussions said.

In his address to the media, FKF president, Sam Nyamweya announced he would be tabling a report of the collapsed talks to Sports Cabinet Secretary, Dr. Hassan Wario and copy Fifa saying he would invoke the world body’s rules to enforce a FKF Premier League.

He gave top flight clubs a deadline of 5pm Thursday deadline to confirm participation in the federation run league or they would risk tough sanctions adding KPL were no longer their members.

“We tabled a proposal where we accepted to allow them run the league but under 18 teams. KPL told us they didn’t have a problem but it was SuperSport who are against it,” the federation boss claimed blaming the stand-off to the South African owned KPL broadcast partners who renewed a contract with them until 2021.

He further charged they had agreed to give each team in the top Sh1m each month for nine months but yet again, SuperSport had declined the arrangement borne of a deal entered by FKF and MP&S agency to sell broadcast rights to the league although later, the president told the press he will speak to the KPL broadcast rights holder to ascertain whether that was their stand as claimed by the company bosses.

Speaking to Capital Sport, KPL CEO Jack Oguda denied they  cited SuperSport as the reason behind their refusal to accept the 18-team format.

“There is nothing like that. They want to drag SuperSport into this matter. They also forwarded their contracts with other partners and we also have our own contractual obligations so SuperSport is not the reason why we could not agree,” Oguda maintained.

From the minute both sides entered the venue, tensions were high with the presence of four police officers standing guard outside adding to the apprehension.

Nyamweya and his FKF top brass in tow were the first on to the meeting with KPL management and chairmen of the clubs at the centre of the dispute trickling in.

Early indications of the strain were evident when Nyamweya, who chaired the meeting in the absence of a mediator was heard denying he had a hand with promotion of Shabana FC, a team from his home region to the top flight.

Then KPL bigwig and Mathare United chairman, Bob Munro,  left the talks expressing doubt a solution would be reached by close of business Wednesday.

“You know what you need to know the discussion is still on and I have confidence in my colleagues and chairman in coming to a satisfactory conclusion.

“I have another appointment so I’m not storming out and I have never stormed out of a meeting. Everybody is being given a chance to speak which is fair but can’t be sure if we will have a decision today,” Munro told reporters as he entered his car.

The exit of the influential figure that was among the architects of KPL from the stormy meeting stirred controversy with Nyaweya, heard saying; “Munro has disrespected us and walked out.”

A 30-minute break was called where FKF and KPL chose three representatives each to continue the deliberations in the afternoon with Nyamweya, his vice-president Robert Asembo and executive committee member, Doris Petra holding brief for the federation.

That session too ended in acrimony and the final walkout from KPL buried any chance a local solution pressed first by Fifa and Wario when he met both parties in his office on Monday would be found.

In his meeting, the minister said he would seek an end to the dispute in accordance with the Sports Act with talk he will disband both bodies and appoint caretaker committees to run football and the league gathering momentum in the last 24 hours.

This however, would contravene Fifa statutes against State interference in football that automatically triggers international suspension in what would deny the players at the centre of the tug of war livelihoods besides impacting negatively on national team activities as well as clubs participating in continental competitions.

-Hardline positions-

With three previous joined meetings preceding Wednesday’s crunch talks also failing to end the impasse; hardline positions adopted by both parties made resolution to the conflict impossible.

Since the end of last season in November, FKF have remained steadfast onthe 18-league format with KPL sticking to their 16-team guns.

On Sunday, the competition christened FKF Premier League kicked-off in Machakos with Shabana beating home side Nakumatt FC 1-0 with KPL scheduled to start theirs this weekend with defending champions, Gor Mahia FC facing 2008 winners Mathare United in one of the key fixtures unless immediate intervention from Government of Fifa halts the shame of parallel leagues.

When Kenya found herself on such crossroads in 2006, the country served a Fifa ban that was lifted when the then feuding parties, hammered out an agreement in Cairo that led to the formation of KPL, an entity FKF is hellbent on erasing from history books as the league management body.

-Developing story

NAIROBI, Kenya, February 18 – Acting Kenya Rugby Union (KRU) boss Gabriel Ouko is keen for dialogue with the group led by Sasha Mutai who was voted in as interim chair at a Special General Meeting last week to quash the leadership crisis in the organisation.

Ouko who accompanied the national 7s team to New Zealand and USA however, maintained arbitration is not the way forward to end the tussle since he has served notice of an Annual General Meeting (AGM) on March 17.

“We will sort out our problems within the next couple of weeks. We don’t want negativity and the squabbles that you are hearing; it’s something that I’m sure we will resolve very soon.

“All issues that were raised by the guys who wanted the SGM can be raised in the AGM so we are open to criticism, and the public is out there to judge us. I don’t think we need to go to the tribunal, it would be the last resort if we don’t agree,” Ouko said.

He expressed delight at the sevens team’s performances since taking over in interim capacity after Mwangi Muthee resigned from the chair mid December.

On Tuesday, Principal Secretary in the Sports Ministry, Jasper Rugut, was appointed to lead the arbitration process ahead of the AGM following a meeting of representatives of both groups at Cabinet Secretary, Dr. Hassan Wario’s office.

This came hours after the High Court ordered the Register of Sports not to recognise the new officials.

High Court judge Justice Alfred Mabeya barred the Mutai team from taking over, pending the March 2 hearing of a case filed by KRU lawyer Michael Muchemi.

The judge, who certified the case as urgent, directed Muchemi to serve all 11 officials elected at the SGM.

Other officials that were elected are Gerald Chege as vice chairman, Jack Okoth as Secretary General while Joshua Aromi was elected the treasurer.

Directors are Kennedy Monari, Patrick Mwangi, Daniel Kimoro, Ochieng Ohaya and Doris Mwanzia.

“We would like to have a discussion and we are ready because some of them are people we have worked together before and don’t see why we can’t seat on a round table and agree,” Ouko added.

The Mutai led faction was demanding the board to be disbanded, accusing them of financial impropriety especially at last year’s Bamburi Rugby Super Series and Safaricom Sevens but Ouko declared that the Simpson Osiemo committee’s report probing the scandal will be made public.

Osiemo, who chaired the seven-member committee that was tasked to investigate the allegations of misappropriation of funds in the local governing body alongside the auditors, is expected to submit the report on Friday.

“People who are complaining of misappropriation of funds were all seated in the board last year so nobody can run away from the fact that they were all part that process, the issues that needed to be addressed was dealt with like bringing on professionals to run our secretariat which was the biggest issue.

“There are those who doubted when we said that the team will be getting better and I think they have gotten the answer from the two legs. We have created the right environment for the team to play,” the acting chairman added.

NAIROBI, Kenya, February 19 – Newly appointed AFC Leopards head coach, Zdravko Logarusic arrived in the country Thursday to take charge at the 13-time Kenyan Premier League champions.

The Croatian who returns to Kenyan football after three years; was welcomed at the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport by club chairman Allan Kasavuli and assistant secretary general, Asava Kadima.

Logarusic who led arch rivals Gor Mahia to the 2012 GOtv Shield and a second finish in the Kenyan Premier League the same season, left to link up with his new charges in Mumias ahead of the 2015 season scheduled to kick off this weekend.

“Yes he is in the country and will be unveiled to the players in Mumias. He is the best coach that we could appoint since he knows the players and Kenyan football,” Kadima confirmed to Capital Sport.

Under Logarusic’s tenure that ended mid season in 2013 over a pay dispute, Gor emerged as the most difficult side to beat whilst playing eye catching football and his return is bound to stoke the age old rivalry between the two local giants and add spice to the forthcoming campaign.

The 53-year-old UEFA pro licence has been tasked to revive Leopards glory after they had a poor season last year where they finished trophy less.

The no nonsense coach who is expected to bring discipline in the team will find news players in Martin Kiiza (Tusker), Emmanuel Ngama (on loan, Uganda Revenue Authority), Karim Ndugwa (SV Villa, Uganda), Fredrick Ndaaka (Police, Uganda), Clement Mata, Diallo Lamine (Al-Swafaa), Chris Gakuo (County Sportiff) and Ali Kesi (Upper Hill High School) who were singed this season.

Logarusic joins Ingwe from Tanzanian giants Simba SC where he was sacked after losing 3-0 to Zambian side Zesco United.

Leopards are expected to open their campaign against Chemelil Sugar on Sunday at Nakuru’s Afraha Stadium.

NAIROBI, Kenya, February 19- Harambee Stars captain and Southampton FC star, Victor Wanyama has expressed displeasure in the prevailing football stand-off that has put the country on the path of an international Fifa ban.

Wanyama joined other players based locally and abroad through their adopted slogan- as a Kenyan footballer, I’m not happy- with livelihoods of hundreds of domestic players at risk if the Football Kenya Federation (FKF) and Kenyan Premier League (KPL) stalemate persists.

“For the sake of our beloved game, FKF & KPL is time to think about the future generation, players and their family who depend on football to earn a living. Let us unite and speak as one and raise the Kenyan flag into the next level. As a Kenyan international player, am not happy,” the midfield lynchpin and most expensive player in the country’s history when he was sold to Southampton from Scottish champions Celtic for 10 million pounds (Sh1.4b) posted on his Twitter handle.

“As Kenyan footballer I’m not happy #GIVEUSOURGAMEBACK,” Stars first choice keeper Arnold Origi also wrote on the same forum.

“Someone between KPL and FKF needs to lower their PRIDE for the sake of the future of Kenyan Football. Many depend on it for a living,” Stars midfielder and Sofapaka star Clifton Miheso added.

With Kenyan football torn apart by the infighting over the composition and running of the 2015 domestic Premier League, the country is staring at a FIFA ban for the third time in her history meaning Origi and his national teammates as well as all those players plying their trade in local clubs face a bleak future.

The last time Kenya was in this dire situation was in 2006 when the defunct Football Kenya Federation (KFF) chairman Alfred Sambu barred Kenyan Premier League (KPL) from running the league as this would be a violation of the KFF constitution.

The standoff saw the world football governing body suspend the country from international football for failing to fulfil an agreement made to resolve recurrent problems in the federation.

Kenya is eagerly waiting to see what action Cabinet Secretary for Sport, Arts and Culture Dr Hassan Wario will take after giving both parties a Wednesday deadline to resolve the matter internally.

But with talks having collapsed after KPL walked off the meeting for the second time; a series of repercussions follows next even as players, referees and coaches stand to lose from the fight.

-Consequences-

Some of the consequences that could follow after the stalemate is the minister disbanding FKF and constitute an interim committee or ban KPL and this will attract FIFA sanction for government interference.

The warring factions seem not to be bothered by the repercussions with both parties burying their heads in the sand by vowing to go on with their respective leagues.

“We failed to agree because we have never known why we are required have18 teams and why it must be done now and no one has given us an explanation on it. We have contractual obligations with our sponsor SuperSport that we must honor so we are going on with our league on Saturday,” KPL chairman Ambrose Rachier declared on Wednesday after they walked off the FKF meeting.

On their part, the federation maintained… “We will have an FKF premier league on course that will go on from this weekend; we will replace those clubs who will not have confirmed by Thursday. FIFA will not allow two leagues; they will only recognize a league that is sanctioned by FKF and CAF,” Nyamweya stated.

Nyamweya has moved fast to stamp his authority after the 14 KPL clubs failed to honour his deadline to confirm their participation in the FKF league by inviting 14 Super League sides to be on standby to replace the clubs.

Both sides not only failed to agree on the format of the league where FKF insisted on the 18 team whilst KPL maintained on 16 but there was also the contentious issue on the broadcast sponsor.

KPL declined FKF’s proposal of introducing MP & Silva Sports Media saying they have to honor their contact that they signed with broadcast rights holders SuperSport.

Kenya faced her first ban in 2004 when FIFA suspended the country from all football activities for three months, due to government interference.

#IMNOTHAPPY SAMPLE POSTS

JOHN BARAZA (SOFAPAKA FC): If Nelson Mandela could sit down with the guyz who treated him inhumanly in South Africa and be able to come up with a way forward  for his nation, then why not u hardliners (FKF vs KPL) Kenya is watching. Chest thumping will take us nowhere.

JAMES SITUMA (TUSKER FC): Only in Kenya when born a football player turns out suicidal, celebrity on the screen and poverty always at your door step. #‎Asafootballplayerinkenyaaimnothappy.

DENNIS WISE OKOTH (NAIROBI CITY STARS): I am Not Happy FKF/KPL,you guys are selfish

FELLY MULUMBA (SOFAPAKA FC CAPTAIN): As a Football Player in KENYA I’m Not happy. Plz GOD help

JACOB KELI  ( AFC LEOPARDS): ALMOST EVERYONE IS COMPLAINING ABOUT KENYA FOOTBALL MANAGEMENT INCLUDING ME WHATS HAPPENING SURELY EEEEIIIIISH BUANNAAAAAA JAMAA YOU ARE KILLING TALENTS. AS A FOOTBALL PLAYER IN KENYA AM NOT HAPPY

RAMA SALIM (COASTAL UNION): As a player n a fan ‪#‎iamnothappy

DENNIS NZOMO (TUSKER FC): AS A FOOTBALLER PLAYER IN KENYA I AM NOT HAPPY

BRIAN OSUMBA (TUSKER FC): AS A FOOTBALL PLAYER IN KENYA AM NOT HAPPY

WILSON OBUNGU (BANDARI FC CAPTAIN): AS A FOOTBALL PLAYER IN KENYA..AM NOT HAPPY…

ABOUD OMAR (TUSKER FC): AS A FOOTBALL PLAYER IN KENYA AM N0T HAPPY

INNOCENT MUTISO (GOR MAHIA): AS A FOOTBALL PLAYER IN KENYA I AM NOT HAPPY!!!

JESSE WERE (TUSKER FC): AS A FOOTBALL PLAYER IN KENYA AM NOT HAPPY

GEORGE ‘BLACKBERRY’ ODHIAMBO (GOR MAHIA): AS A KENYAN FOOTBALLER AM NOT HAPPY

MIKE KHAMATI (AFC LEOPARDS): As a Kenyan footballer and a lover of the game, ‪#‎IamNotHappy

NOAH WAFULA (AFC LEOPARDS): As a footballer in Kenya am not happy

PAUL KIONGERA (KCB): As a football player in this country….am not happy

TITUS WAMALWA (AFC LEOPARDS): As a Kenyan footballer, I a’m not happy

TIMOTHY OTIENO (GOR MAHIA): As a footballer in Kenya with great dreams am not happy.

NAIROBI, FEBRUARY 19 – SuperSport and GOtv have partnered to give football fans in Kenya a variety of exciting sporting content from the top leagues in Europe to basketball, athletics, rugby and boxing, live on SuperSport Select 2.

This weekend GOtv is set to bring live sporting action including:

Thursday 19-Feb-2015

19:55     Football: UEFA Europa League, Round of 32: Young Boys vs Everton – Stade de Suisse, Bern, Switzerland (Live)

22:00     Football: UEFA Europa League, Round of 32: Tottenham Hotspur vs Fiorentina – White Hart Lane, London, England (Live)

Friday 20-Feb-2015

02:50     Basketball: NBA, Washington Wizards vs Cleveland Cavaliers – Verizon Center, Washington, D.C. (Live)

Saturday 21-Feb-2015

16:45     Football: Barclays Premier League, Matchday 26: Crystal Palace vs Arsenal – Selhurst Park, London, England (Live)

20:30     Boxing: Golden Gloves, WBA / IBO / WBC Interim Middleweight Title: Martin Murray vs Gennady Golovkin (12 Rounds) – Monte Carlo Casino, Monaco (Live)

02:05     Road Running: Tokyo Marathon, The Day We Unite, Tokyo, Japan (Live)

Sunday 22-Feb-2015

12:55     Football: Spanish La Liga, Matchday 24: Real Sociedad vs Sevilla – Anoeta, San Sebastian (Live)

15:55     Football: Italian Serie A, Matchday 24: AC Milan vs Cesena – San Siro, Milan, Italy (Live)

22:00     Basketball: NBA, Milwaukee Bucks vs Atlanta Hawks – BMO Harris Bradley Center, Milwaukee, Wisconsin (Live)

BASKETBALL

Basketball fans are in for a treat on 20th February with Washington Wizards vs Cleveland Cavaliers while on 22 February Milwaukee Bucks face off with Atlanta Hawks

ATHLETICS

On 21 February, the world’s top runners will take to the streets of Tokyo for the Tokyo Marathon and we bring you the highly anticipated world middleweight championship fight between Martin Murray and Gennady Golovkin in Monte-Carlo.

COMING UP…

And there is more! Coming up in March; the Capital One Cup Final (Chelsea vs Tottenham Hotspur), the UEFA Europa League, the FA Cup Quarter Final and the IAAF Cross Country Championship in Guiyang, China.

GO for the best sports variety on SuperSport Select 2 on GOtv

-Courtesy/SuperSport

LONDON, February 20- Chelsea suspended three people from attending the club’s Stamford Bridge stadium on Thursday as part of the Premier League team’s investigation into a racist incident on the Paris Metro.

A black commuter was pushed back by what appeared to be a group of Chelsea fans travelling to the Parc des Princes for the 1-1 Champions League last 16 first leg against Paris Saint-Germain on Tuesday.

A chant of “We’re racist and that’s the way we like it” from the Chelsea fans was clearly audible on a video of the incident at the Richelieu-Drouot Metro station.

Chelsea responded to widespread condemnation of the incident by announcing three supporters had been identified and have been suspended, pending further investigation.

The swift action prevents those supporters from attending Saturday’s Premier League match with Burnley at Stamford Bridge, which has been designated a ‘Game for Equality’.

The supporters face life bans if they are found guilty.

“Chelsea Football Club is suspending three people from Stamford Bridge as a result of investigations into the incident on the Paris Metro on Tuesday evening,” a statement on the club’s website announced.

“If it is deemed there is sufficient evidence of their involvement in the incident, the club will issue banning orders for life.

“We have received substantial information to date following our witness appeal and we are grateful to the many Chelsea supporters who have provided information so far.

“Our investigations are on-going and we would request any further information is sent to customer.services@chelseafc.com.

“We also continue to cooperate fully with the Metropolitan and Paris police forces who lead the ongoing criminal investigation.”

The supporters’ action were condemned by British Prime Minister David Cameron, FIFA president Sepp Blatter and anti-racism groups Football Against Racism in Europe and Kick It Out.

Chelsea’s first ever black player, Paul Canoville, said he was “embarrassed” and “ashamed” by the incident.

And prior to revealing the suspensions, Chelsea has already released a statement describing the incident as “abhorrent” and vowed to take the “strongest possible” action if supporters are found to be involved.

Paris prosecutors had earlier confirmed that the alleged victim, identified in media reports as 33-year-old Souleymane S., had made a formal complaint.

The French authorities are working with their British counterparts and anyone convicted of “deliberate racial violence on public transport” could face a prison term of up to three years and a fine of up to 45,000 euro (£33,000).

In an interview with Le Parisien on Thursday, the man described by the newspaper as French-Mauritanian, called for those involved to be jailed.

The man, reported by Le Parisien to be a chief operating officer at a business close to the Metro station, told the newspaper: “These people, these English supporters, have to be found, punished and should be locked up. What happened shouldn’t go unpunished.

“I understood that they were attacking me because of the colour of my skin. I wanted to get into the carriage but a group of English supporters blocked me and pushed me away. I tried to force my way on, I again tried to go back. In the jostling, I lost my phone.

“They were saying things in English to me but I wasn’t understanding what they were saying. I don’t speak a word of English.

“I went back to my home without talking to anyone about this story, not my wife or my children. What could I say to my children? That dad was shoved on the Metro because he is black? That wouldn’t be any use.”

Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho is expected to be asked about the incident at his pre-match press conference on Friday.

NAIROBI, Kenya, February 23 – Kenyan Premier League (KPL) players have given feuding FKF and administrators of their competition a one week ultimatum to iron out their differences failure to which they will mobilize a countrywide mass demonstration.

Speaking Monday at Nairobi City Stadium, the players led by Bandari FC custodian, Wilson Obungu, with representatives from all 14 KPL clubs decried the ongoing crisis was threatening their livelihoods.

“It’s with a lot of regret and frustrations that we have come out as Kenyan football players following unending wrangles by authorities who are custodians of the beautiful game.

“They keep on taking us for a ride now and again so we have given the warring factions a week to sort out their issues and come up with solution,” Obungu said in a written statement.

“Failure to which we will hold a mass demonstration involving all players countrywide together with our fans to bar them from holding any public office now and in future.

“We urge all footballers and fans to unite and support us in this cause of trying to salvage our football in Kenya,” he added following a week where with support of their foreign based colleagues such as Harambee Stars captain, Victor Wanyama and fellow keeper, Arnold Origi, they turned to social media enmasse to register their protest.

The players through their adopted slogan- as a Kenyan footballer, I’m not happy- blamed both FKF and KPL for the impasse that has brought parallel premier leagues, court cases and confusion to the country’s football.

“They should try hard to come up with the solution. We are unhappy with what is happening since we don’t know where we will be tomorrow because if sponsors pull out, we will be jobless and you know what follows next.

“We are the main stakeholders in this game and they must listen to us because if they don’t we will stop playing in their leagues and who see who they will manage. They need to sit down and sort out the mess speedily and stop putting the players life at ransom.

“We are not advocating for (a Fifa) ban but if it’s going to make everything go the correct way so be it,” Obungu added.

-Parallel Unions-

They threatened to form a parallel Kenya Football Welfare Association (KEFWA) saying the current office chaired by former international, Nicholas Muyoti has failed to champion their rights.

“We don’t have a strong players association. Players have no confidence with KEFWA because they have done nothing as far as our welfare is concerned.We are thinking of forming our own that will fight for rights of Kenyan players from the top to lower leagues.

“There are clubs that have not paid players yet they have valid contracts and we want a strong union,” the Harambee Stars custodian explained.

“When the federation had their AGM we didn’t have player’s representative so it’s very difficult to know if they care and value us. Both KPL and FKF are not taking players issue seriously.”

Other players who were present include, Gor Mahia trio of captain Jerim Onyango, Jerry Santos and Innocent Mutiso, Tusker FC’s James Situma, AFC Leopards duo keeper Wycliffe Kasaya, Joseph Shikokoti, Bandari’s Anthony Kimani,  KCB pair of Paul Kiongera and Joshua Oyoo among others.

Already the two parallel Premier Leagues are running at the same time as the country waits to see how long the situation will continue despite violation of FIFA rules when the federation went to court in a bid to stop last weekend’s start of the KPL in an injunction that failed to hold sway as the first round of fixtures got underway.

The FKF Premier League that has 18 teams, 14 promoted from the second tier when teams allied to the KPL declined to register with the federation is expected to continue midweek.

KPL are bidding their time on which two teams will fill the remaining two slots of their 16-team format with Nairobi City Stars and Top Fry Nakuru who were relegated last term on standby for a return if they cannot agree with the federation on promoted teams form last year’s National Super League.

BARCELONA, February 23- Two-time Formula One world champion Fernando Alonso is making a “solid recovery” from a spectacular crash in testing, his McLaren team said Monday blaming the accident on “gusty winds”.

The 33-year-old Spaniard crashed into a wall 20 laps into testing at Barcelona’s Circuit de Catalunya on Sunday and was airlifted to hospital under sedation.

Alonso suffered concussion but the team said scans on the 2005 and 2006 world champion were “completely normal.”

Alonso would be kept in hospital, McLaren added without giving details of his injuries nor how long he would remain there.

His manager Luis Garcia Abad put up a picture of a smiling Alonso sitting up in bed on Twitter.

“He will remain here the time we need to be sure everything is right,” the manager told reporters at the hospital.

“The impact was quite hard. We have to be sure everything is fine, so I can’t say if it is one, two or three days more,” Garcia Abad added.

The Twitter photo was accompanied by the message: “Lunch time! Thank you for your support!”

“Fernando Alonso is making a solid recovery in hospital, and is chatting to family, friends and hospital staff,” said a McLaren-Honda team statement.

- Erroneous rumours -

“A thorough and complete analysis of his condition was performed, involving CT scans and MRI scans, all of which were completely normal,” the team said.

“In order to provide the privacy and tranquillity required to facilitate a peaceful recuperation, he is being kept in hospital for further observation, and to recover from the effects of the medication that successfully managed his routine sedation yesterday.

“We intend to give him every opportunity to make a rapid and complete recovery, and will evaluate in due course whether or not he will participate in the next Barcelona test.”

The team strongly denied what it called “the erroneous rumours that have spread recently to the effect that Fernando was rendered unconscious by an electrical fault.”

McLaren-Honda blamed strong winds on the track for the accident.

The car initially hit trouble after it went onto artificial turf that lines the edge of the track.

“A consequent loss of traction caused a degree of instability, spitting it back towards the inside of the circuit, where it regained traction and struck the wall side-on,” said the statement.

“Our findings indicate that the accident was caused by the unpredictably gusty winds at that part of the circuit at that time, and which had affected other drivers,” said the statement.

“We can categorically state that there is no evidence that indicates that Fernando’s car suffered mechanical failure of any kind,” it added.

Cars can reach speeds of up to 150 miles (240 kilometres) per hour on the third bend at the track where Alonso crashed. Other drivers said he was going slower however.

Alonso ended a five-year stay at Ferrari to join McLaren for the 2015 season.

He is linking up with another former world champion Jenson Button as the team renews its partnership with Honda in a bid to get back to returning to something like its old form after two seasons in the doldrums — their last win came in the season ending 2012 Brazil Grand Prix.

NAIROBI, Kenya, February 24 – Over 15,000 participants are expected to participate in the second First Lady’s Half Marathon that will run March 8 at Nairobi’s Uhuru Gardens.

The move comes even as Her Excellency First Lady Margaret Kenyatta, the event patron, and her team intensify training at Lornah Kiplagat tartan track in Iten ahead of the contest.

Athletics Kenya Vice President in charge of competitions David Okeyo said registration will close on Friday to enable organizers work on other logistics like start list and issuing of running numbers.

“There shall be an Expo February 27 to March 6 at the Kenyatta International Conference Centre where distribution of running numbers will be done,” Okeyo said.

Nairobi County Traffic Police boss Musyoki Mutungi, on Tuesday announced the affected roads in the city, especially along the designated race course, which will be closed or have diversions between 1am and 1pm on the competition day.

“Motorists from Mombasa heading to the city centre and other parts of the country through Mombasa road and Uhuru highway will be diverted at enterprise road /Mombasa Road junction. They will access CBD through either enterprise road or Mombasa road wrong side which will be used as a single carriage way.

“At Lusaka roundabout, motorists from Mombasa will be diverted to access their various destinations via either city stadium through Lusaka road or Haile Selassie Avenue roundabout through Bunyala roundabout wrong side,” said Mutungi.

Ngong Road bound motorists will be diverted at Haile Selassie round about to access City Mortuary roundabout through Kenyatta Avenue / Uhuru Highway (Nyayo House) roundabout.

Motorists from Ngong road intending to access CBD and other parts through Mbagathi way will be diverted at the City Mortuary roundabout to use Valley road, Kenyatta Avenue and Mbagathi way wrong side.

Mombasa Road shall remain closed from Enterprise Road up to Lusaka Road as well as Lang’ata Road roundabout.

This year’s event will feature a wheelchair race for the physically disabled as a new component of the marathon.

The winner of the 21 km race for both men and women will take home Kshs 750,000 (USD 8,205) with the runners-up pocketing Kshs 500,000 (USD5,470) and third-placed will receive Kshs 250,000 (USD 2,735).

Preparations for the Marathon are in earnest with registration ongoing at Ksh 1,500 (USD16.4) for individual participants and Kshs 100,000 (USD1,094) for corporate participants of between five and ten individuals.