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NOCK officials Soi, Chacha arrested at JKIA

"IOC doesn't have athletes under their control, the control is from the national federations, so what is it that they want from us? They want us to test athletes twice before Olympics but we will do it thrice." PHOTO/Raymond Makhaya.

Team kenya Chief de Mission Stephen Arap Soi in a past event.” PHOTO/Raymond Makhaya.

NAIROBI, Kenya, Aug 26- National Olympic Committee of Kenya (NOCK) officials Stephen Arap Soi and James Chacha were arrested by officials from the Directorate of Criminal Investigation (DCI) on Friday night, just moments after they arrived from the Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro.

Soi was Team Kenya’s Chief de Mission while Chacha was the Chief Executive officer and their arrest followed just hours that of NOCK Secretary general FK Paul who was picked up by detectives at his Nairobi home.

The three were being held at the  Muthaiga Police Station as police prepared to question them, with a likelihood of facing charges on Monday over Team Kenya’s mismanagement at the Rio Olympicswgere they are also accused of mismanaging NIKE kits.

“They were not questioned at the airport. They were just approached by the detectives and informed that they were under arrest before they were  taken to the Muthaiga Police Station and they cooperated,” a police source privy to the operation told said.

When the rest of the team emerged from the arrivals lounge, the two were conspicuously missing. At the end of it all, only their luggage was wheeled out and later taken by the police officers to Muthaiga.

There was no immediate statement from Police Headquarters on the three arrests or exact charges they are likely to face.

Team Kenya captain who is also the Cherangany Member of Parliament arrived last, having booked his own ticket and travelled through Amsterdam, Netherlands.

“I totally support the action taken on them because someone should pay the price. This is something that has been going on for a long time,” Korir said upon arrival in Nairobi.

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“This has been the best year for us in the Olympics as athletes, but also it has been a disaster in the aspect of organization and officials. As Kenyans were competing to win medals, our officials were competing to be the worst organized in the world,” a dejected Korir, looking jaded from the long Rio flight said.

The marathoner went on to castigate Soi over dictatorial tendencies, saying no one can question him at NOCK as he is a feared figure.

“Things were so disorganized in Rio right from the first day. When I got to the Olympic village, I had to wait for two hours for them to give me my keys.”

Team Kenya Captain and Cherangany Member of Parliament Wesley Korir addresses the  media after arriving from Rio. PHOTO/RAYMOND MAKHAYA

Team Kenya Captain and Cherangany Member of Parliament Wesley Korir addresses the media after arriving from Rio. PHOTO/RAYMOND MAKHAYA

“They didn’t know anything. It was a one man show where Soi controls everything. Even Chacha when asked says he doesn’t know anything. That is where they started failing. If Soi is not there, nothing goes on,” Korir alluded.

He added that he will file a motion of impeachment against Sports Cabinet Secretary Hassan Wario in parliament, saying he should be held accountable for whatever happened in Rio as it was right under his watch.

“If you are the head of an organization and you don’t even know what is going on, my friend you are supposed to go home,” Korir said.

Korir was also against Wario’s decision to disband NOCK saying he overstepped his mandate. “He was in Rio and did nothing to help even when we told him, he should start with himself.”

The Cherangany legislator also added he and fellow athletes will be “suing NOCK and the Sports ministry for endangering our lives having booked a hotel for them in a crime prone suburb in Rio in the final day when the village was closed.”

His sentiments were shared by boxer Rayton Okwiri who said; “To be honest that was not a place befitting athletes or even members of Kenya’s Olympic team. It was shameful,” the boxer opined.

Korir said he didn’t sleep all through the night with gunshots blazing the evening cold as well as mosquito infested rooms.

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Athletics coach Julius Kirwa added his voice into the disorganization, parly being annoyed that some athletes went without their coaches.

“There is no way you can send an athlete to a competition without his coach. For me, that was the biggest disorganization. Things were not done in the right way,” Kirwa told Capital Sport after arriving from Rio.

 

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