OFFICIALS STILL IN LIMBO: AK urged to intervene on extended suspension of Kenyan officials by IAAF

Athletics Kenya has been asked to intercede on behalf of its suspended officials over the extension of their suspension by the International Association of Athletics Federations.

The AK officials currently under IAAF suspension are former AK Treasurer Joseph Kinyua, AK Vice President David Okeyo and AK CEO Isaac Mwangi.

The officials were suspended by IAAF over doping allegations and misappropriation of funds from sport firm Nike in 2015.

The officials were initially banned from all athletics activities for six months on November 30, 2015.

The ban was extended for another six months in June last year before a further extension for 180 days, executed early this month.

Recently, Kinyua who is the AK Eastern Branch chairman was cleared by the IAAF on the second count of violating Anti-Doping rules, but still has a pending case relating to diverted funds from Nike.

Led by the acting AK Eastern Branch chairman Kithinji Maragara, a section of athletics officials have voiced their concern over the continued suspension, saying it is unjust and harsh hence the need for AK to intervene.

“We appeal to AK to impress upon IAAF Ethics Board to expedite these cases which in our view are unnecessarily prolonged and are killing the spirit of the sport in the country,” Maragara said.

Maragara argued that if the suspension is left to run its full course, then it will be detrimental as it will aggregate to one and a half years, which is unreasonable to people seeking justice.

In a letter addressed to AK President Jackson Tuwei, the branch official stated that the region was greatly disadvantaged by the absence of their chairman Kinyua, adding that this was affecting branch operations.

“We feel that Kinyua’s absence and continued suspension may lead to development of athletics in the region lagging behind,” read part of the letter.

Maragara questioned whether the IAAF Ethics Board sought the federation’s position on the extension of the suspension and the allegations of diversion of Nike funds.

“What is AK’s position on the diversion of funds because as at May 16, 2014 when Kinyua handed over to the current treasurer David Miano, he had no pending issues and none has been raised by the federation so far,” he said.

Maragara further posed: “Does the IAAF Ethics Board need to undertake another audit of the federation’s books of account which have been audited and approved by the AK supreme organ — the Annual General Meeting (AGM)?”

The branch questioned why IAAF Ethics Board endeavours to investigate a case which was investigated by the Directorate of Criminal Investigations in 2015 in which to date no charges have been preferred against the former treasurer.