IOC President Thomas Bach visits Kenya

Together with ANOCA President and IOC Member Mustapha Berraf, they remained with the President during his time in Kenya.

The first of three days was mainly with the NOC, national sports federations and Kenyan athletes. The second included a meeting with the Kenyan President and a visit to see Olympic legend Kip Keino; and the third concentrated on a visit to Kakuma and the nearby Kalobeyei integrated settlement, and the work of the Olympic Refuge Foundation (ORF), with the UN High Commissioner for Refugees.

After arriving in Nairobi, the President held an informal meeting with leaders of Kenyan national sports federations. The IOC President highlighted the great success of the Kenyan NOC, as demonstrated at the historic Olympic Games Paris 2024, where Kenya won 11 medals, the most of any African nation.

"Athletes from the territories of all 206 NOCs and the IOC Refugee Olympic Team were able to come together, competing and living peacefully together, sending a strong message of our unifying mission."

President Bach said that the "athlete-centred approach of the Kenyan NOC [was] a shining example to other NOCs".

In the discussion, there were questions on safeguarding, anti-doping, the Olympic sports programme, gender equality and the possibility of Olympic Games in Africa.

At a sports demonstration with local children, he joined displays of fencing, karate, taekwondo, judo, lacrosse, gymnastics and flag football, before taking questions from the students.

In a visit to State House, President Bach was able to congratulate the Kenyan President, William Somoei Ruto, on the performance of the Kenyan team at the Olympic Games Paris 2024, under the great leadership of NOC President Paul Tergat. Mentioning also Humphrey Kayange, he praised the work of the two Kenyan IOC Members and their excellent work within the IOC, which is highly recognised. He also praised President Ruto for his leadership and for his seamless cooperation in respect of the NOC’s autonomy.

President Bach also commended the Kenyan President for the great work his government is doing for refugees.

The Kenyan President congratulated the Kenyan NOC for its success at the Olympic Games Paris 2024, and confirmed his full support for the NOC and Kenyan athletes. He praised the IOC for the success of the Games, and particularly the achievement of having athletes from the territories of all 206 NOCs and the Refugee Olympic Team at the Games; and he thanked the IOC for the work it is doing for refugees in Kenya.

In a discussion on the fight against doping in Kenya, President Ruto confirmed that this was a high priority for him. He informed President Bach that he has given instructions to the government that all the necessary funds and human resources will be made available to the National Anti-Doping Agency.

President Bach then headed to Eldoret, the so-called “City of Champions”, to be reunited with his friend and founding member of the IOC’s very first Athletes' Commission, legendary Olympic champion Kip Keino.

He was welcomed in Eldoret by Keino and the Governor. Signing the golden book at County Hall he told them, "Not only is Eldoret the home of champions but it is the home of champions with big hearts. Here, you live the Olympic values, welcoming athletes from around the world and the Refugee Olympic Team. You are opening your doors and offering so many opportunities."

He also visited the Kip Keino School and the orphanage run by Keino. The IOC President inaugurated the new administration block for the school, which has more than 900 local pupils.

The final day of the Africa tour saw a visit with UN High Commissioner for Refugees Filippo Grandi to Kakuma, a refugee camp with 300,000 inhabitants.

In the camp, President Bach was able to see the great work being done by the Olympic Refuge Foundation (ORF) to bring sport to the camp. Working with a number of agencies, the Foundation also uses sport to help the refugees with issues related to gender-based violence and mental well-being.

Thanks to the ORF “Play 2 Protect” programme operating in the camps, 2,745 adolescent girls, young women and boys have received gender-based violence (GBV) clinical services. The majority are young women and girls. In all, more than 23,600 refugees have received psychosocial support, with a 30 per cent reduction in GBV experiences between 2020 and 2023 as a result of this project.

And he thanked the UN High Commissioner, saying, “none of this would have been possible without him.”

During the visit, he was accompanied by the two IOC Members in Kenya, Paul Tergat and Humphry Kayange, and IOC Member in Rwanda Felicite Rwemarika, who was herself a refugee in her childhood. Refugee Olympic Team Paris 2024 athlete Perina Lokure Nakang was also present. The end of the visit to Kenya and President Bach’s African tour was marked by a farewell dinner hosted by the Kenyan NOC.