PRESS RELEASE
"DEAR FIFA" : NO COMPROMISE ON CORRUPTION IN
KENYAN FOOTBALL
See previous background evidence and facts
in the press release on June 16th
Nairobi, June 17 - Late yesterday BBC Sports reported that FIFA is now
proposing a meeting in Zurich on July 9th on the corruption crisis in Kenyan
football. The BBC report indicated that the meeting will involve Kenyan Sports
Minister Najib Balala, former KFF Chairman Maina Kariuki and two other former
officials of the Kenyan Football Federation (KFF), Kenyan Olympic Committee
Chairman Kip Keino and two club representatives.
This is a constructive move by FIFA. It represents the first time in
over three years that FIFA finally agrees to sit down and listen to the
compelling evidence and views of Kenyan clubs. Since February 2001 the top
Kenyan clubs sent over 30 joint appeals to KFF, CAF and FIFA providing
evidence on KFF mismanagement and corruption and asking for help and an
independent FIFA investigation.
FIFA ignored their appeals and instead supported and even promoted KFF
officials involved in the misuse of KFF and FIFA funds. For example, in
2002 after KFF Chairman Maina Kariuki belatedly switched Kenya's vote in the
FIFA election from Africa's candidate, CAF President Issa Hayatou, to Mr.
Blatter, Mr. Kariuki was appointed to the FIFA committee on marketing. Also,
even though FIFA knew the High Court of Kenya in Mombasa confirmed on April
8th that the 4-year term of the former KFF officials had legally expired on
March 24th, former KFF Chairman Kariuki and two other former KFF officials
were still invited to and attended the FIFA Centennial Congress in Paris in
late May.
FIFA finally sent Dr. Joseph Mifsud (Malta) on a short and secretive mission
to Kenya on the Easter holiday weekend earlier this year (April 9-10th). But
Dr. Mifsud only met the former KFF officials whose term of office had expired
while refusing to meet the legitimate representatives of the top Kenyan clubs,
coaches, players and referees. As a result, Dr. Mifsud's report to FIFA was
blatantly one-sided and included many errors which seriously misrepresented
the true facts and situation on corruption in Kenyan football. Sadly, his
report to FIFA was then used to justify the unfair suspension of Kenya and its
national teams on June 2nd.
A "zero tolerance policy on corruption" was a major policy commitment of the
new Kenyan government when it took office in January 2003. In his inaugural
address to Parliament President Mwai Kibaki stated: " “My Government also
plans to take sport more seriously … [and] plans to deal with corruption and
mismanagement in this sector. These trends negatively affect our athletes.
They have undermined the standards of key sports like soccer.”
One of the first actions of the new government in its crackdown on corruption
was to disband the Kenyan national U17 team because former KFF officials broke
the FIFA rules by knowingly recruiting and fielding overage players. That is
likely the first time in world football history that a country voluntarily
did so. Instead of praising such courageous action, Kenyan national youth
teams were banned. Today the innocent young players who did not cheat remain
banned while the senior KFF official responsible for the cheating scandal was
inexplicably reinstated last December. It is a sad reversal of natural justice
and fairplay when the innocent are punished and the guilty are protected. It
is hardly fairplay to again threaten and then suspend Kenya because the
government and the top clubs, coaches, players and referees remain
determined to stop corruption in Kenyan football.
A major achievement of the new government and Chief Justice was to suspend
many top judges and ensure a corruption-free judiciary. What is also now
needed is corruption-free football.
At the meeting in Zurich there can be no compromise on corruption in Kenyan
football as the top Kenyan clubs, coaches, players and referees have already
suffered for far too long from KFF corruption and FIFA inaction. At that
meeting, instead of being part of the problem FIFA will hopefully now become
part of the solution and finally help the top clubs, coaches, players and
referees to clean up the corruption by former KFF officials which crippled
Kenyan football.
Yesterday the BBC Sports website also carried a report on new probes on
cheating and corruption scandals in Cote d'Ivoire, Morocco and South Africa.
In keeping with the anti-corruption principles in the FIFA Code of Conduct and
also the FIFA motto of "For the Good of the Game", it now seems both timely
and right for FIFA to take the lead in cracking down on corruption in football
in Kenya, Africa and globally.
Original signed by the five members of the Executive Committee of the
Stakeholders Transitional Committee: Dr. Mike Boit (Chairman), Bob Munro (Vice
Chairman), Ndiritu Gikaria, Gilbert Ottieno, Patrick Naggi (Transitional
Manager).
CONTACT
R. D. Munro
Vice Chairman
Stakeholders Transitional Committee (STC)
Box 49295, Nyayo National Stadium
00506 Nairobi, Kenya
Tel+Fax 254-20-583055
Mobile 254-722-878787
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