NAIROBI, Kenya, Sep 4 – Sportsmen will now be paid their allowances before they travel out for international assignments, the Ministry of Sports has said in a new directive issued on Wednesday by Principle Secretary Kirimi Kaberia.
According to the new directive aimed at ensuring transparency, accountability and efficiency, federations will now be required to submit the names of the travelling athletes at least 14 days to the day of travel.
“From the point where the Federations or Organizing Committees submit the list of travelling players and their details, it will take a maximum 48hrs to receive their money. All money will be deposited directly in the athletes’ accounts,” Kaberia said in his statement.
He further added that only athletes will be paid before travel while officials will be paid their allowances after returning home on conclusion of their missions.
This comes in the wake of recent complains from sportsmen over payment of allowances and biggest of all, acquisition of travelling tickets.
The national women’s basketball team had to plead on a video posted on social media for them to be paid their allowances during last month’s FIBA Afrobasket Championship in Dakar Senegal, and it came after they were only given 10 slots for players to travel.
It was the same case for the men’s team which participated in the Afrocan Championship in Mali reaching the final as well as the men’s and women’s hockey teams which participated in the Olympiuc qualifiers in South Africa.
Meanwhile, the government has also said all winning allowances will be paid maximum two weeks after the team returns home, but has not given any guideline on the amounts to be paid.
Currently, only track and field athletes have laid out payment structures in terms of winnings while the same is vague for team sports.