Visiting International Olympic Committee (IOC) president Thomas Bach has announced that the National Olympic Committee of Kenya (NOC-K) funding has been increased by 10 per cent, amounting to Sh650 million over the next cycle to support its sporting and social projects.

The long-serving IOC administrator, speaking to NOC-K member federations at Villa Rosa Kempinski Hotel, yesterday morning, stated that the move aligns with the country’s strong culture of overall sports development.

“We recognize what NOC-K does and its purpose of focusing on human-centered projects and athlete-centered programs. We are pleased as an organization to be in a position to improve funding for our members.

“We are confident that NOC-K will utilize the funds appropriately, allowing us to continue our trusted partnership. I assure you of our continued support and assistance, as we already have a relationship at the highest level, where two Kenyans sit,” declared Bach, who has been with the IOC for 33 years.

He proceeded to add, “Athletes are not only at the heart of the Olympic movement; they are, in fact, at the center. We need a human-centered approach when dealing with our heroes. At the same time, we must also consider the rules of parity and diversification in our programs.

“Our mantra is that those who do not follow the rules will bear the consequences. Sustainable and social programs allow us to grow the Olympics as a whole, and rest assured, focus points around education and sports are important for the movement, as well as the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).”

On his part, African Nations Olympic Committee chairperson Mustapha Berraf lauded Kenya’s continuous exemplary performance in the Olympic Games as a testament to great organization.

“Kenya is doing well with its Olympic Committee, consistently performing well in the Olympics. I want to congratulate them specifically for their exemplary showing in Paris, where they were the top African country with 11 medals. I will always make efforts to support Kenya’s future endeavors.”

Meanwhile, NOC-K president Paul Tergat emphasized the need for shared values through the spirit of the Olympics in his address to the federations.

“As the people charged with the responsibility of developing athletes, this event is beneficial. With the IOC president gracing this occasion, we are humbled that the agenda focuses on putting our athletes first. We want to see more promotion of Olympic values in our nation. This timely visit also signifies the cordial and long-standing relationship between the IOC and NOC-K,” he noted.

The event also featured representatives from the Kenya Netball Federation (KNF), led by Immaculate Kabutha as well as the Kenya Basketball Federation (KBF), represented by Secretary General Angela Luchivya, who expressed concerns about the qualifying modalities for team events for African teams in the Olympics, arguing that the path is quite difficult.