Ministry of Sports, Culture & Heritage
The African Athletics Development Centre (AADC) Committee has submitted proposals providing the way forward for the establishment and management of the first mid and long-distance development Centre in the country, which will provide training for elite athletes and host a variety of local and international persons. The Inter-Ministerial Committee, formed by the Cabinet Secretary for Sports, Culture and Heritage, Amb. Amina Mohamed comprises representatives from the Ministry of Sports, Culture and Heritage, National Treasury, Interior and Coordination of National Government (Immigration), Attorney General’s office, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Education and Athletics Kenya.
As per their Terms of Reference, members have been researching on the best practices in some of the most renowned high performance training centres in the world as well as identifying any gaps in similar development centres in the region to identify the best model for AADC.
Following these developments, the Tripartite Agreement outlines a collaborative approach by the Ministry of Sports, Culture and Heritage and Moi University – where the centre will be located. Apart from preparing and enhancing the performance of Kenyan athletes at the highest levels of competition globally, the centre also widens the country’s scope for sports tourism and cements Kenya’s reputation as a major sports destination in the world.
Athletes will benefit from educational courses, such as life skills, investment and financial management as well as entrepreneurial skills, among others from faculty based at the Centre. The Centre will be the biggest entity fully supported by Government in this area. “The AADC will be pivotal in building talent from the grassroots in order to cement Kenya’s position in the world of athletics but also to provide an opportunity to international athletes to train in the country. I look forward to an AADC that will deploy the latest training technology, undertake research in sports related areas and offer programs that will build all rounded athletes, including life skills, entrepreneurship, and financial literacy alongside technical skills. Further, a Centre that will nurture discipline among athletes in order to combat the doping menace” said CS Sports Amina Mohamed. “We thank CS Amb. Amina Mohamed, CAS Hon. Hassan Noor Hassan and PS Joe Okudo for the full support we have received as a Committee,” said AK President Lt. General (Rtd.) Jackson Tuwei.
Beatrice Ayikoru Confederation of African Athletics (CAA) representative who joined the online session from Uganda expressed commitment from CAA and World Athletics thus: “we are ready and willing to give full support to the establishment of this Centre. I would advise that the AADC, Moi University should also consider short races and sprints as well as being able to provide international accommodation.”
“We are very excited to host this Centre and look forward to doing research, publications and providing materials that will propel the careers of our athletes. We are ready to provide offices, land and other facilities required to establish this Centre” said Moi University’s Representative Petronilla Lagat.
Issued at the KENCOM, Nairobi.
Amb. (Dr.) Amina Mohamed, EGH, CAV
CABINET SECRETARY
Youtube Link
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