Sh600m for Tokyo Olympics

In Summary

• Tergat disclosed that Team Kenya will be donning new training and competition kit that will be unveiled April next year.
• "We are in talks with our kit provider Nike where we are in the process of redesigning the kit," said Tergat, who was accompanied by Nock acting secretary general Francis Mutuku and treasurer Anthony Kariuki.

The National Olympic Committee of Kenya (Nock) General Assembly has approved a budget of Sh 600 million for the 2020 Tokyo Olympic Games.

Nock President Paul Tergat disclosed that from the budget, Sh250million will go towards preparations and qualification for the Summer Games due July 24 to August 9 in the Japan capital.

Nock project that Kenya could be represented by an estimated 100 athletes at the Tokyo Summer Games.

Kenya was represented by 89 athletes; 47 men and 42 women at the 2016 Rio Olympics, where the country spent an estimated Sh530 million.

"We still have teams trying to qualify for the games, which covers the first four months of next year," said Tergat, while addressing the media after the General Assembly and Annual General Meeting at the Panari Hotel, Nairobi on Friday.

Some of the disciplines that are yet to go through their qualification process that comes next year are boxing, women's volleyball, table tennis, judo, tae kwon-do and wrestling.

Around 46 athletes have already qualified for the Olympics including 28 from athletics, two swimmers and two team sports; the men and women's rugby sevens teams.

Tergat said they will now engage the government immediately so that preparations continue in earnest.

Tergat confirmed that Kurume City in Fukuoka, Japan will host Team Kenya for a camp before the Games, but clarified that the local training venue after the team will gave been named, will be disclosed later.

"We thought that we can't continue waiting and discussing on the venue in Japan when time was running out with other countries having already settled and selected venues," said Tergat.

"We shall held consultations with specific disciplines where some would prefer to train elsewhere especially athletics that would have sprinters only in Kurume."

Tergat disclosed that Team Kenya will be donning new training and competition kit that will be unveiled April next year.

"We are in talks with our kit provider Nike where we are in the process of redesigning the kit," said Tergat, who was accompanied by Nock acting secretary general Francis Mutuku and treasurer Anthony Kariuki.

Tergat announced that their revenue improved by an estimated Sh38 million last year.

Nock revenues rose to Sh142,401,084 in 2018 from Sh104,794,380 in 2017.

"Nock executive is committed to reinvigorating the financial fortunes of the organisation. There has been concerted efforts to broaden the income sources of Nock which will translate to increased support to federations," said Tergat. "These efforts have started to bear fruits."

Kariuki said that immediately after assuming office in September 2017, they started managing costs.

"That is what improve revenues. Some of the sponsors who had locked out their subsidies opened up like the Commonwealth Games Federation," said Kariuki.

The General Assembly also approved and adopted the contentious 2016/2017 accounts and the 2018/2019 accounts.