Kenya Reinstates Jos Hermens

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What a confederacy of dunces these Kenyan officials are proving themselves to be . . . kk

10 January 2006 - Athletics Kenya has reinstated leading Dutch athletes’ agent Jos Hermens and five other managers, federation chairman Isaiah Kiplagat said on Tuesday.
Last month Kiplagat told reporters the national governing body had sacked 19 managers because it was difficult to control and monitor a large number of agents.

“We have reconsidered the managers after they appealed against their exclusion from our list which we drew last month,” Kiplagat told reporters after holding a meeting with the managers.

“Kenyan athletes are many and 12 managers cannot handle them effectively.”

American Tom Ratcliffe, who handles 2004 London marathon and twice Chicago champion, Evans Rutto, was also reinstated.

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Well, it was bound to happen, I suppose…

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This story came out after it was found out that a group of kenyan runners were kept in a terrible flat in France by a manager. Good job for Kenya to suddenly care about that. A lot of managers made the travel in the past days in order to defend their cases with Kenyan officials, i wonder how, well i’ve got my opinion on it. I’m really tired about how some managers treat African athletes like slaves.

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When I went to Kenya in 1999 I was warned Not to contact the Kenyan athletics association because they would certainly demand a “tax” for the right to visit “their” athletes. Apparently this is standard proceedure because several people from Kenyan athletes themselves to management companies all gave the same warning. Perhaps I would have considered paying a small fee-for-service, except that everybody said there would absolutely be No Service whatsoever. Just another cash gouge. I suspect that by banning some top agents this was simply yet another gouge under another guise.

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Managers indeed have to pay a tax to work with Kenyan athletes and shall have the authorization of the Kenyan Fed. I don’t complain either managers of Kenyan Fed, however Kenyan athletes always say “yes” and compete or travel in bad conditions when the managers doesn’t care about them. The orad circuit is full of guys who run half marathon every week ends and you can imagine the consequences for their professional career. Careers and 1 or 2 years long, when they are not good enough, an other good guy form Africa will replace him anyway.

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Envoy says Kenyan athlete committed suicide

By Omulo Okoth

Kenyan athlete David Njuguna, who died in Canada on December 31 2005, commited suicide, it was confirmed yesterday.

His agent (name withheld) did not have any medical insurance so the Kenyan Community in Ontario has been left to shoulder the responsibility of sending the body home.

According to the Kenyan High Commissioner in Ontario, Rateng’ Oginga Ogego, Njuguna, 26, apparently committed suicide.

“We are tracking down his agent (name withheld) who brought him to Canada to tell us his side of the story,” said the envoy.

“We are worried by this development and have asked Police to help us trace him. The Kenyan Community here is on top of things and are raising funds to take the body home,” he said.

“Initial investigations indicate that Njuguna committed suicide, which is a sad thing,” the envoy said.

Njuguna, 26, died on the night of December 31 2005 at his apartment on 515 main street East, Hamilton.

His family in Kenya are peasant farmers. The marathon runner arrived in Canada in May last year.

He came by invitation of a Canadian manager (name withheld).

Ogego said the High Commission facilitated his brother’s travel from US to Canada to help in the exercise.

A committee has been formed to make arrangements for embalment of the body and burial.

The required amount to send the body home is $15,000 (Sh1m), a Kenyan working in Canada said.

“We have two fundraisers planned for this weekend. One in Hamilton, where he died and another in Toronto, where most Kenyans reside,” said the Kenyan.

“What I gather from friends is that David committed suicide as a result of extreme stress,” he said.

“His living conditions were not the best. He was sharing a two-bedroomed apartment with other Kenyans,” the source confided.

“He had reached a point where he couldn’t afford his share of the rent contribution. He had no money for food. He was unable to leave Canada because he didn’t have a return ticket,” he said.

“I am extremely angry that our young athletes can be driven to take their own lives by getting trapped by “agents” who don’t care,” he said.

Athletics Kenya secretary general, David Okeyo, confirmed having heard of the news but added that AK could not comment further.

“We did not know how he went to Canada,” said Okeyo.

A trust account has been opened for those who would wish to contribute.

*** WARNING: CF.COM TAKES NO (REPEAT NO) RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE AUTHENTICITY OF THE BANK FUND DETAILS LISTED BELOW, WHICH WERE PUBLISHED IN THE KENYAN EASTERN STANDARD NEWSPAPER

Account Name: David Njuguna Fund

Bank: RBC Royal Bank, Jackson Square Branch, Hamilton

Transfer number: 01822-003

Account Number: 104 420-5