World Aquatics read Kenyan Swimming the riot act

Swimming in Kenya, now ever than before, is hanging on the tightest of ropes after a letter from World Aquatics - the sport’s governing body - referring to the Stabilization Committee of the Kenya Swimming Federation, cited ‘considering imposing additional sanctions’ after failing to put their house in order.

FINA Kenya Stabilization Secretariat team leader, Michael Otieno, speaking on behalf of the Stabilization Committee two week ago, confirmed the plan for national elections and a stakeholders Annual General Meeting - Special Congress - to be held on June 24 and July 8 respectively, but owing to a ‘desist notice’ to stop the two events, World Aquatics is recalling their suspension on the federation.

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“We have been informed that the Stabilization Committee of the Kenya Swimming Federation has received a cease and desist notice requesting, in brief, that it renounce the holding of the two general assemblies scheduled on 24 June 2023 and 8 July 2023, the latter being an elective general assembly and supposedly the end of a long-standing, flawed situation within Kenya,” part of World Athletics’ statement read. "In this respect, we recall that a prior FINA Bureau suspended the Kenya Swimming Federation on 12 December 2019.”

Kenya has been under suspension for more than three years - FINA’s first suspension coming in December 2019, and a Stabilization Committee was formed to steer the way for elections since July 2022 but to no avail.

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“More than three years later, and despite the assistance of this Stabilization Committee for almost one year, the situation is still not resolved,” the communique, written by World Aquatics Chairman MR. Jace Naidoo added.

In an extra twist reported first by Nation Sports last week, the duo of Margaret Mwasha and Conrad Thorpe on 14 June filed an injunction stopping the elections until a pending High Court case on constitution violation was left unresponded to.

“At the current time, while we appreciate the progress and note the extensive engagements conducted with the Kenyan Stakeholders which should culminate in the two aforementioned general assemblies, we have also noted the attempts by the petitioners who seek to disrupt the roadmap that shall lead to the regularization of the situation and, therefore, to the review of the suspension status by the World Aquatics Bureau,” the statement added.

Against this background, the World Aquatics Bureau is considering imposing additional sanctions to the Kenya Swimming Federation, which may consist, further suspension, with additional consequences that could lead to the exclusion of athletes from competitions, or a complete ban on the federation.

Mozzart Sport understands the stakeholders were in the process of holding a meeting, keep it here for more developments on the standoff.