How Athletics Kenya plan to avoid coach wrangles in the build up to the Olympics

Peter Njoroge

How Athletics Kenya plan to avoid coach wrangles in the build up to the Olympics

Abigael Wafula 09:38 - 13.06.2024

Athletics Kenya Nairobi Chair Barnaba Korir has explained how the federation is working to avoid having a rift between coaches as preparations for the Olympic Games ramp up.

Athletics Kenya and the National Olympic Committee of Kenya have taken a different approach in ensuring there is no rift between athletes’ coaches ahead of the Paris 2024 Olympic Games.

Athletics Kenya chair Barnaba Korir explained that athletes and coaches have been in talks with the federations to ensure everything is on course ahead of the global bonanza.

Korir explained that athletes will train with their coaches until they go to the training camp where the coaches appointed by AK and NOC-K will take over. However, he noted that they are in open talks with them to see how best the athletes can train.

He noted that coaches who trained athletes who have already hit qualifying times for the Olympics have already been given a token of appreciation by NOC-K and have also received a financial boost as they prepare the athletes for the bigger assignment.

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“All the coaches including the sprinters have been contacted and they came here (Riadha House) to have a meeting and they drew a plan themselves since the interaction between AK, coaches, and athletes is very close.

“The federation now wants to deal directly with them to know what is exactly needed and they agreed on the modes of operation and one of the issues that came up is that they need to be having meetings with the athletes too.

“A coach that has trained an athlete to meet the qualification standards will also be compensated at some point and that has already been done. Although we shall be having coaches that man the athletes to the Olympics, the coaches who train the athletes at the moment will also be involved and they will not be locked out,” Korir said during a press conference held at Riadha House.

He added that the marathoners are currently training with their coaches but under supervision from the coaches appointed by AK and NOC-K.

Korir insisted that the main reason for this is to ensure athletes don’t feel forced to train differently and get an opportunity to work with their coaches who know them better.

“The marathoners have their coaches who train them and they have been paid as of now. They have coaches selected by AK and NOC-K supervising them until it’s time to leave that’s when they will travel with them.

“The coaches who train with these athletes will be with them so that nobody can be forced to do what they don’t want to do. For the federation to have the best results, they need to hear what the coaches and athletes have to say and ensure that nobody is left out and that they are supported financially,” he added.

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