Kenyan athletes are free to form an athletes’ association to guide and manage their welfare once they retire from active sports.
With athletes suffering after they hang their spikes, Athletics Kenya A.K president Jack Tuwei said the athletes have the obligation to form an association to cater for Kenyan welfare.
While addressing athletes in the Annual Athletes Conference in Eldoret, Tuwei was optimistic that the intended association will cater to athletes in terms of medical insurance, savings, pension amongst other pertinent issues facing the athletes in the country.
“We need to come up with a solution before this seminar comes to an end. The athletes are open to engagements before the final resolution is made at the final day of the conference on Saturday. We must have a solution,” said Tuwei during the track and field athletes second-day seminar.
He assured athletes that they must have a resolution as AK on how they can assist both budding and experienced athletes in terms of welfare.
This comes at a time when the federation has invited athletes as well as facilitators to discuss the welfare topics.
“We already have such experienced individuals to talk about the topic. As a federation, we have done our best and a resolution will be found in this forum. Whatever they will settle on then we are ready to support them. We have done our research and we are thus giving them,” said Tuwei during the official opening of the seminar on Thursday.
The four day event was divided into two where road running athletes’ seminar was held on Wednesday as well as tackling the anti-doping cases that has marooned the country, being placed in category A, which is a danger zone for any nation.
“I know that road runners had a successful teachings on Wednesday where the AIU officials came to introduce a new programme to the road runners. I am convinced that the road running athletes have now understood their obligations,” said Tuwei.