Follow NOC-K example

The move by the National Olympic Committee of Kenya (NOC-K) Special General Assembly to adopt and pass some amendments to its constitution is progressive and commendable. It will likely prevent some of the bitter disputes that saw its elections postponed twice last year, with 14 cases concerning the polls being filed at the Sports Dispute Tribunal and the High Court.

The crux of the matter was delegates’ eligibility to vote, exacerbated by factional wrangles within NOC-K affiliates, and the disqualification of some candidates.

Perhaps the most contentious were Articles 13.1 and 13.2 on Voting Power & Hierarchy in the NOC-K Constitution, which were not clear on who should vote between the chairman/president and the secretary-general of a federation.

In the new dispensation, federation presidents have the right to vote, with the secretary-general stepping in in their absence. If both are missing, then a federation’s secretary-general will communicate who will represent the federation at the NOC-K Electoral Congress.

The Olympics body has now set the tone for the rest of its affiliates to emulate on how to resolve some of the pending and contentious sections in their constitutions that have caused wrangles within the federations.

Some of these federations include Athletics Kenya, which hasn’t held its elections for 12 years now, Aquatics Kenya, Badminton Kenya and Football Kenya Federation.

The 2026/2027 Kenya Premier League kick-off was delayed for almost two months due to a bitter legal dispute over promotion and relegation rules and conflicting High Court rulings.

Most of the sports federations’ constitutions are behind the times, as they have not aligned with the 2013 Sports Act. These constitutions need urgent reviews, and NOC-K has set an apt example of how to go about it.

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