Kenyan Minister of Sport, Hassan Wario gives a press conference in Nairobi on May 13, 2016
NAIROBI, Kenya, Aug 24 – The Cabinet secretary for Sports, Arts and Culture Hassan Wario was grilled for slightly over an hour on Wednesday morning at the Directorate of Criminal investigation over the mismanagement of the Kenyan team to the just concluded Olympics in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
According to a source privy to the morning meeting, Wario was summoned by the Director of Criminal Investigation Ndegwa Muhoro at the DCI headquarters on Kiambu Road.
“He was asked to explain what exactly happened in Rio especially how the team was treated, the contingent that travelled to Rio and allegations by kit sponsors Nike over the allocation of uniforms,” the source said.
Capital Sport has learnt that president Uhuru Kenyatta who early this week released a tough statement saying questions must be answered is keen to see to it that action is taken over the blundering officials and asked the DCI to ensure he gets to the bottom of everything.
“It is certain that heads must roll,” the source further added.
President Kenyatta in his statement said; “We will ensure that lessons are learnt, questions are answered, action is taken and full accountability achieved. Every Kenyan must take their responsibilities seriously and be ready to face the consequences of their actions.”
Kenya was faced with an international farce in Rio. First, Athletics team manager Michael Rotich was asked to return home after an investigation by British newspaper Sunday Times and German television channel ARD alleged he demanded money to give warnings about doping tests.
Sprints coach John Anzrah was then expelled from the Kenyan team in Rio after being found in possession of 800m athlete Ferguson Rotich’s accreditation by anti-doping officials who though he was the athlete when they pulled him up for a random test.
Sprinter Carvin Nkanata was denied entry into the Olympic village due to lack of an accreditation card as well as a Kenyan passport and had to travel back to his base in the US. However, after appealing, the 200m athlete travelled back to Rio on the day of his race and finished last in his heat.
Wario had accompanied the team to Rio where he was quoted by a section of the press saying he was also a victim of the Rio mess.
Parliament also discussed the plight of the team in Rio on Tuesday evening and called on action to be taken on whoever is found culpable to have caused the mess.
