Nike deal, NOCK Plaza top agenda at meeting

The controversial Nike kit deal and the stalled construction of NOCK Plaza will top the agenda during National Olympics Committee of Kenya (NOC-K) Extra Ordinary Meeting cum General Meeting in Nairobi today. 

Chaired by NOC-K president Paul Tergat, the meeting, set for Panari Hotel, will handle the matter of the Sh1.2 billion building with urgency as it is said to have attracted the interest of the International Olympics Committee (IOC).

NOCK Plaza was estimated to cost Sh1.2 billion with Sidian Bank acting as the main financier offering Sh800 million while NOCK was set to foot the remaining costs. 

Escalated costs

It is reported that the bank pumped in Sh400 million into the project before construction stalled but the committee continued to incur expenses in escalation costs, leading to an auction notice early this year before the government stepped in to save the situation. 

“We are aware the matter is of huge interest and indeed we are seeking solutions. The General Assembly will provide the way forward on how to engage and make our dream come true,” said NOCK acting secretary General Francis Mutuku.

The committee is also expected to engage in talks on their kit deal with sports apparel giants Nike.  NOCK had come up with a digitised way of running their kit supply from Nike last year in a bid to avert a repeat of the Rio 2016 Olympics scandal and the standoff witnessed in the run down to the 2018 Commonwealth Games in Gold Coast, Australia.