Ababu reminds athletes to compete clean as Paris Olympics nears

With just 29 days to the 2024 Paris Olympics, Sports Cabinet Secretary Ababu Namwamba has issued a reminder alarm to Kenyan athletes on the importance of competing clean.

CS Ababu has applauded Kenya’s efforts in the fight against the doping menace and reiterated that the global sporting powerhouse has a mantra of zero tolerance to doping as the clock ticks fast to the Paris Games next month.

“I want to applaud our anti-doping efforts as we prepare to get to Paris in the next 30 days. We have made it clear that we are a zero tolerance to doping country. We have made it very clear to our athletes that we want them to compete clean and continue Kenya’s very pride heritage of a country that has no space for doping .We have encouraged our athletes that they have what it takes to compete well and win without any enhancement. We want to pay tribute to those that have lived up to the standards and as government, together with NOCK and other stakeholders will continue to enforce that mantra of zero tolerance to doping,” Ababu said.

Yesterday, the Ministry of Sports and the National Olympic Committee of Kenya (NOCK) signed a Memorandum of Understanding at Talanta Plaza, Nairobi signifying a great working relationship in preparing Team Kenya ahead of the 2024 Paris Olympic Games.

NOCK Secretary General Francis Mutuku expressed gratitude for the support received the government through the Ministry of Sports and termed Team Kenya for Paris Olympics as the best-prepared team compared to the previous years.

“As the National Olympic Committee, we are very proud as we sign this Memorandum of Understanding today as an affirmation of what has happened so far. To be specific, in the last one year we have had tremendous support from government through the Ministry of Sports. Our path to Olympics has been smooth. As you all know, preparations for Olympics begins after Olympics but picks in the last 24 months.

“A lot of the teams have received support in regards to qualifications. If we failed and where we failed to qualify, it was not an issue of lack of funding. Secondly, for the first time, the National Olympic Committee was able to get funding for the preparations . We have at many occasions said that Olympics is the biggest sporting event in the world and the performance usually is a reflection of the preparations. Our preparation has gone on very well compared to the previous years and I can authoritatively say that our team is best prepared ever in terms of support,” Mutuku said.

CS Ababu committed to continue giving the support to the team for preparations and participation of the Kenyan heroes in Paris as the nation seeks to better its performance and stamp its authority as Africa’s top Olympics country.

“As a government, we are delighted that we have done everything required of us. We have provided the resources to support every single element of preparations. We have financed trainings, qualification events and activities in different parts of the World to make sure that every Kenyan sportsman or sportswoman has the opportunity to qualify to Paris. I assure you of continued support and the support is reflective of the very clear policy this government led by President William Ruto and that policy is that we want to invest in the talents of our young people and to convert the talents into livelihood.”

Kenya will compete in six sporting disciplines at Paris and that is athletics, rugby, fencing, judo, swimming and volleyball.