Athletes set to get services in new AK office in Eldoret

AK President Jack Tuwei retired and junior athletes after opening AK office in Eldoret on Tuesday. July 24, 2024. [Peter Ochieng, Standard]

Athletics Kenya (AK) has opened its first office outside Nairobi, in Eldoret, in its bid to decongest Riadha House at the capital.

According to federation officials, the office located at Daima House will minimize long travels, especially by junior athletes, to Nairobi for clearance to compete in global races.

It is the first AK office outside Nairobi where the federation's headquarters is situated.

Young athletes have been traveling long distances from their training bases for services offered by the federation, and in some cases forced to spend days in the capital because of long queues.

Athletes are required to get clearance from the federation before applying for visas.

AK President Jackson Tuwei said the new office in Eldoret will bring services closer to the athletes' training bases and homes.

Tuwei said the office will serve Rift Valley, Western and Nyanza regions.

The new office was opened on Tuesday, ahead of countrywide registration of athletes and support personnel.

"Our athletes will get services closer. It will support the ongoing registration of athletes, coaches and camps," the President said during the unveiling of the new office.

He said the new registration will eliminate cases where unregistered athletes travel out of the country to compete in international races, making it difficult for Kenyan embassies to offer them support since they are not in the federation's database.

"Many individuals calling themselves athletes got stuck and stranded in America, Europe and other countries during the Covid-19 pandemic. We will know the athletes after the registration," he said.

The data will be available to the World Athletics, Athletics Integrity Unit (AIU) and Anti-Doping Agency of Kenya (ADAK) among other relevant bodies, Tuwei said.