Badminton Kenya (BK) will finally go to polls on August 25, this year, the National Olympic Committee of Kenya (NOC-K) has announced.
NOCK said that the development date follows key stakeholders meeting convened online on Monday to discuss and lay the groundwork for the elections and announce that players will now be allowed to participate in tournaments.
Badminton World Federation (BWF) suspended Kenya indefinitely in March 2021 until warring parties at BK are able to organise fair and transparent elections in line with BWF requirements.
BWF Secretary-General Thomas Lund mandated NOC-K to lead the charge in bringing reforms at BK to lay the ground for fresh elections and return Kenya to the global fold.
BWF moved into action after badminton players petitioned NOC-K in November last year after Saumya Gupta was barred from competing in some international tournaments in October.
NOC-K, who had been on the forefront to resolve years of wrangles at BK without success, wrote to BWF highlighting the players’ plight while pitching for a way out of the quagmire.
The Monday meeting agreed to form a committee chaired by the Weightlifting Federation of Kenya Secretary General John Ogolla, to spearhead the program that will include the BK constitution review, registering players, clubs, and counties.
NOC-K Secretary General Francis Mutuku said the process will establish a comprehensive registry within the sport.
Mutuku said that a formal meeting will be held to review the constitution under which badminton will operate on July 21.
Ogolla’s committee will comprise individuals who have no direct affiliation with badminton, distribute different drafts of the constitution and encourage stakeholders to provide their input.
Player representatives, if registered by June, will be selected to join the committee, ensuring that players’ interests remain at the forefront of administrative decisions.
“By ensuring all players are duly registered, the committee intends to facilitate player representative selections exclusively from registered players, fostering a fair and inclusive decision-making process, “said Mutuku. “The meeting emphasized on the significance of the registration process for clubs and counties.”
The new executive team will receive support from NOC-K for approximately six months to establish robust structures and formulate effective policies.
During the meeting, NOC-K Athletes Representative Humphrey Kayange emphasized on the importance of granting badminton players the opportunity to contribute to the sport.
He said that players, administrators, and stakeholders should work collaboratively to ensure efficient and player-centric operations within the badminton community.
