Eldoret City Marathon race director Moses Tanui and Athletics Kenya (AK) officials have appealed to athletes and stakeholders to refrain from politicizing the delay in disbursing prize money. The call was made during the award ceremony for the fifth edition of the marathon held in Eldoret town.
Tanui urged athletes to practice patience, explaining that the delay was due to technical issues. “Athletics Kenya does not allow a race to be conducted without funds. Let’s not politicize such a race as it will present a negative image to the world,” Tanui emphasized. He assured that the Eldoret City Marathon would continue to grow and become a prestigious event, drawing comparisons to other long-standing marathons around the globe.
Barnabas Korir, the Youth Development Chairman at AK, echoed Tanui’s sentiments, urging athletes to avoid politicizing issues related to athletics. “If you spend time disparaging the organizers, you are not harming them but rather driving away potential sponsors,” Korir stated. He reaffirmed the commitment to making major races like the Eldoret City Marathon, Standard Chartered Marathon, and Nairobi City Marathon successful to foster a thriving sports industry for the athletes’ benefit.
Korir also mentioned that the Ministry of Sports, through Talenta Hela, is responsible for the prize money and assured that athletes would receive their payments by the end of the week.
AK Vice President Paul Mutwi criticized unnamed individuals for attempting to undermine the progress and efforts to promote athletics in Kenya.
The officials’ messages aimed to address concerns and ensure the continued growth and professionalism of the sport.