The National Olympic Committee of Kenya (NOC-K) is pleased to announce that this morning it awarded IOC Scholarship grants to the Kenya Men’s National Rugby Sevens team, Shujaa, and the Kenya Women’s National Rugby Sevens team, the Lionesses.
Each team received an IOC Scholarship worth USD 50,000, bringing the total investment to USD 100,000. The funding represents a significant boost to the teams’ high-performance programmes as Kenya begins its structured build-up towards the Los Angeles 2028 Olympic Games.
The scholarship will run from January 2026 through to 2028, supporting the teams consistently across the full Olympic cycle.
The funds will be directed towards high-performance preparation, including training programmes, international competition exposure, coaching support, and athlete welfare. Kenya’s men’s team, Shujaa, has featured at three Olympic Games ; Rio 2016, Tokyo 2020 and Paris 2024 and remains one of Africa’s most competitive rugby sevens sides.
The Lionesses, missed out on the Paris Olympics but bouncing off from a team that was affected by Covid-19 just immediately after landing, continue to show strong upward progression and remain firmly focused on breaking through to the Olympic stage in Los Angeles.
The ceremony was attended by the Kenya Rugby Union (KRU) Board, led by President Harriet Okach, NOC-K Executive Board Members led by 2nd deputy President Colonel (Rtd) Nashon Randiek, Secretary General John Ogolla, Gender representative Doreen Okiri and member Elynah Shiveka.
Speaking during the event, Okach welcomed the continued collaboration with NOC-K, noting that sustained investment and structured support are critical to building competitive teams capable of performing consistently at the highest level.
NOC-K Second Deputy President, Colonel (Rtd) Nashon Randiek, expressed the collective excitement of the NOC-K Board in supporting both teams, noting that Shujaa is currently the only men’s team in Kenya to receive an IOC team scholarship, a clear reflection of confidence in Kenya’s rugby programme and its long-term potential.
The scholarship support comes at a crucial moment as preparations intensify for the HSBC Sevens Challenger Series Division 2, set to take place next month. The tournament is a key qualification pathway back to the World Sevens Series, and Kenya will host one of the legs in February, welcoming fans from the famous Kenya Corner to branding the entire stadium Kenyan during the Valentine’s weekend
Looking ahead, Shujaa will depart next week for a one-week high-performance training camp in South Africa, where they will play against the Springbok Sevens and selected club sides.
The Lionesses will head to Spain, where they are scheduled to face Spain and Belgium, familiar opponents from the Challenger Series circuit, as part of their international exposure programme.
Team captains Samuel Asati (Shujaa) and Sheila Chajira (Lionesses) expressed confidence in the team environments, citing strong training blocks and renewed motivation.
Chajira noted that missing out on Paris 2024 was a difficult setback for the women’s team, but one that has strengthened their resolve as they reset their focus towards LA 2028. As Kenya embarks on this new Olympic cycle, the ambition is clear: not just to qualify for Los Angeles 2028, but to compete for, and ultimately secure, Kenya’s first-ever Olympic team medal. NOC-K believes Kenya Sevens has both the talent and the pathway to make that dream a reality