ATHLETICS 'We respect the ruling'- Barnaba Korir reacts to High Court ruling on Athletics Kenya officials

Barnaba Korir has disclosed that Athletics Kenya respects the ruling of the High Court of Kenya but noted that they have also appealed the case and lawyers are legally handling that.

Athletics Kenya’s current officials respect the verdict of the court and will do what it takes to follow the law to the letter, according to Athletics Kenya Nairobi Chari and Youth Development chairman Barnaba Korir.

The High Court of Kenya ordered current Athletics Kenya officials to vacate their offices at Riadha House and plan as they plan to hold elections in the next 90 days in their ruling on Thursday afternoon.

Korir termed the verdict as normal but expressed surprise at the ruling of being ordered to vacate the offices, explaining that the federation needs to ensure the athletes are catered for even as the officials plan for the elections.

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“You know some of these things that do happen are very normal and they also happen in institutions and other agencies that deal with the public and when it comes to the issue of elections, it is totally acceptable.

“The only surprising thing that we heard from the court is simply that the entire Athletics Kenya should vacate the office because it was not part of the prayers and when you look bad, it is not AK that delayed the elections,” Korir said.

He added that they had started off the process of elections and they were midway before the court halted the whole process.

Korir explained that through the AK president Jack Tuwei, they have continued as a federation to ask the court to allow them to conduct the elections but all their pleas have been in vain until the rule was made yesterday.

“The president of the federation has tried so many times with the three ministers who have been there since that time to see a way of trying to facilitate the finalizing of the case and it was not successful and the case was always being postponed.

“It was until yesterday that the ruling was done, we respect the ruling and we also have the leeway to be heard as a federation and as individuals because sometimes when you feel like your rights have been infringed, you have to prove how are those rights infringed,” Korir noted.

He explained that since there is a law to be followed, the federation will stay in good tabs with what was said until everything is done.

Korir also explained that, however, they don’t want to put the federation in jeopardy, and also don’t want to put the process of supporting our athletes in various major competitions in limbo since 2024 is a very important year.

The events lined up include the World Under-20 Championships, Olympic Games, Africa Senior Championships, World relays, World Cross-country Championships, Kip Keino Classic and the marathon.

“Elections will come and go, officials will be elected according to the wishes of the public and I don’t think anyone in AK wishes to stay here longer and we are ready for elections anytime. It depends on the public and we know we have to pave way for the others.

“In a nutshell, the federations or officials who have been elected are always ready to be subjected to the elections and ours was delayed because of the case in court but now since the verdict has been passed, we shall follow the law and then also follow the procedures of trying to mitigate what has happened,” he added.

Korir also noted that they have appealed, commenting: “We have the lawyers who are handing that and we are waiting for them to brief us but as far as I know, the status core remains, legally.”