Kenya continues to work on preparation of international sports events

NAIROBI - Kenya's Sports Cabinet Secretary Amina Mohamed says the country will continue to work hard to host international sports competition despite the threat of coronavirus outbreak.

Speaking in Nairobi on Monday, Mohamed instructed all officials working for the Local Organizing Committee (LOC) to hosts a number of international tournaments in the country to continue with their work unabated.

However, following the government directive to implement partial lockdown to curb the spread of coronavirus, Mohamed said the LOC teams will have to work by setting up virtual meeting tools.

"Steering Committees and LOCs set up to organize the World Athletics Continental Tour, Tokyo Olympics and World Athletics Under-20 and the World Rally Championships (WRC) must set up virtual meeting tools to facilitate the continuous work even as they work from home," Mohamed said.

On Sunday, President Uhuru Kenyatta said non-essential services staff should be permitted to work from home as his government intensifies the fight to minimize the spread of the coronavirus after Kenya confirmed second and third cases of patients.

Safari Rally, which is due in July will serve as the seventh leg of the WRC, while the Continental Tour in Nairobi on May 2 will be the first in the World Athletics calendar for the newly introduced sport to supplement on the demand for more competition after they restricted number of events at the Diamond League.

Mohamed said Kenya is also planning to attend the 10th Commonwealth sports ministers meeting, which will bring together the 53 Commonwealth countries in Tokyo, Japan on July 23.

Kenya's Olympic body (NOC-K) said all teams and coaches who traveled out of the country have in the last two weeks have been ordered to self-quarantine.

In the meantime, the country will continue with preparations for the Olympic Games.

"While most qualification events have been suspended, NOC-K is in close contact with the International Olympic Committee (IOC) to ensure that the athletes are given a fair opportunity to participate in this year's Olympic Games," said Paul Tergat, the NOC-K president.