NOCK responds to Ndolo's 'lack of support' accusations

Close to twenty four hours since German-born fencer, Alexandra Ndolo - who in 2022 made an application through her parent federation to switch her sporting nationality to Kenya - pointed her finger at Team Kenya and the Kenya Fencing Federation for not according her the ‘promised’ support, the National Olympics Committee of Kenya on Monday issued a response to the accusations, detailing the reason why the necessary funds had not been processed yet.

As per NOC-K, in following the International Olympics Committee Guidelines that gives athletes interested to change nationality a period of three years before being allowed to compete under for a different country, they had been put in a dead end since ‘the financial support would not be processed as it comes under the Olympic Solidarity for which the above process needed to be completed.'

Following the International Olympic Committee, the aim of Olympic Solidarity is to provide assistance to all National Olympic Committees (NOCs) for athlete development programmes, in particular those with the greatest needs of it, a platform that NOC-K from the communication, has athletes such as Angella Okutoyi and other individual athletes under its support.

Ndolo after expressing interest in representing Kenya in International Fencing events - more so the Paris 2024 Olympic Games- acquired a release letter from the German Fencing Federation on 9 September 2022 that was later approved by the International Fencing Federation on 17 September, confirming her request for change of nationality.

Thereafter on 24 April 2023, the National Olympic Committee - Germany, gave her a waiver of no objection, one that NOC-K stated had ‘maintained close contacts with the IOC for its waiting period to be actualized.'

“The Committee which will consider this application will sit next month in June after which, we shall be advised on whether the waiver has been granted and if so, allow the athlete to represent Kenya,” NOC-K’s statement cleared.

'This is not what I signed up for' Fencer Ndolo faults federation, ministry for neglect

In addition to a ‘retreat with the Ministry of Youth Affairs, the Arts and Sports aimed at considering all aspects of qualifications and participation in the Paris 2024 Olympics’, NOC-K, and the Kenya Fencing Federation on approval of the change of nationality is expected to make application to the ministry for funding, based on the existing structure and policies termed out in the retreat resolutions.

“Ndolo is among the athletes whose pathway is a priority with very high chances of doing well in the Olympics,” the NOC-K statement concluded.