Nairobi, Feb 26 (IANS) A Kenyan corporate giant has threatened to withdraw sponsorship from any warring sports federation in the country as disputes continue to rock a number of local governing bodies — notably football, athletics and rugby.
Bob Collymore, CEO of the leading domestic integrated communications service provider Safaricom Wednesday said his company and others would pull the financial plug from these federations since they could not account for the money if infighting or feuding continues, reports Xinhua.
“What we are seeing now across the federations is lack of ethics and integrity whether its wrangles, corruption or doping, and unless they resolve the issues we will not waste our money in them,” said Collymore.
“I do so much to protect my shareholder’s money but I can’t afford to give that to federations who squander and steal it,” Collymore said.
Safaricom is among the biggest investors in local sport spanning the Athletics Kenya Relay Series and numerous distance races under the Safaricom Road Race Circuit, the annual Safaricom International Sevens and youth football tournament, Sakata Boli.
Collymore weighed into the doping crisis in the country epitomised by the two-year ban on female marathon running star Rita Jeptoo.
“It’s such a big letdown to moral athletes like David Rudisha who are clean when modern sportsmen get involved in doping,” he added in reference to the Olympic champion and world men 800m record holder.
Athletics Kenya, Kenya Rugby Union and Football Kenya Federation are some of the sports federations embroiled in infighting.