A Kenyan athlete studying at the University of Stirling in Scotland, UK, has hit out at the government after he was disqualified from a championship.
In an interview with a UK-based news outlet, SwimSwam, Kenyan swimmer Swaleh Talib expressed his displeasure with the Kenyan Swimming Federation (KSF) after he failed to make the cut for the Commonwealth Games that will take place in Birmingham, England.
He argued that he was left out after the Kenyan Olympic Committee effected budget cuts directed towards the team scheduled to take part in the game.
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Initially, KFS was scheduled to present four men and four women to take part in the competition but after the cuts, only four participants were approved.
Those approved to represent the country include Emily Muteti, Imara Bella Thorpe, Ridhwan Mohammed, and Monyo Maina.
The initial eight participants had also been selected in May when the Federation held its initial Commonwealth Games trials held at Kasarani in Nairobi.
Talib noted that he would like to see a change in the operation of sports bodies in the country.
“At this point, I have been one of the swimmers most affected by the situation and it’s not fair for me to be silent about it anymore.
“I only want a better future for the upcoming swimmers in Kenya and stop them from having to go through what the past generation of swimmers have gone through," he said in the interview.
He also wondered why KFS was only campaigning for the women left out of the competition to join but not the men.
“There are certain stakeholders who are making the election process harder to achieve and making it harder for the working group to accomplish certain goals to get the suspension lifted.
"If the same stakeholders gain a position in the federation, it will be a disaster and it will be the death of Kenyan swimming," he added.
Towards the end of May, KFS was hit by suspension by the International Swimming Federation (FINA) for delaying to hold its elections.
“Please be informed that the FINA Executive met on 18 May 2022 and considered the matter related to the Kenya Swimming Federation.
"Based on all current circumstances of this matter, the FINA Executive decided that it will not propose to the FINA Bureau to lift the current suspension from the Kenya Swimming Federation,” read the letter in part.
This, in turn, only allows Kenyan athletes to participate in the championship as neutrals.
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