Press Statement By Amb. (Dr.) Amina Mohamed, EGH, CAV, Cabinet Secretary, Ministry Of Sports, Culture And Heritage During The Joint Tokyo Olympic 2020 Preparatory Meeting, Enashipai, Naivasha, 17th December, 2020

1. The Ministry in collaboration with the National Olympic Committee of Kenya (NOC-K) have reengaged the preparatory processes towards planning for the Tokyo 2020 Games which will now take place in 2021.
2. The following mechanisms have been agreed as a systematic way to prepare TeamKenya to compete effectively for the Games, supported by clear and accountable structures at the management level as follows:
   1. The Term of the Tokyo Olympic and Paralympic Preparatory Team constituted vide Gazette Notice No. 1966 dated 11th December, 2019 shall be reviewed and extended before 31st December, 2020 to cover the remaining duration leading up to the Games.
   2. Regular Steering and Central Management Committee (CMC) Meetings to implement the Road to Tokyo Roadmap concretely to re-start immediately. The first Central Management Committee Meeting will be held on Wednesday 6th January, 2021 while the Steering Committee Meeting will meet on Wednesday 13th January 2021.
   3. Accreditation and other logistical preparations to be completed on or before 20th January 2021.
   4. The Ministry in conjunction with NOC-K will engage critical Government stakeholders on Olympic Education Awareness to ensure comprehensive information sharing in a Tokyo Olympics Information Pack which will be released on 5th January 2021.
   5. The Ministry in conjunction with NOC-K will also prepare a Tokyo Olympic 2020 Travel Information Pack for members of the public containing all the Directives issued by the International Olympic Committee to guide members of the public intending to travel to Tokyo for the Games with essential information.
   6. The Ministry and NOC-K will enter into a Memorandum of Understanding setting out the respective roles and expectations to guarantee seamless delivery of the Games with clear responsibilities and accountability structures.
   7. The Ministry and NOC-K will commence intensive discussions regarding the budget starting Monday 21st December, 2020. This process is expected to be completed before the Christmas break ahead of the Steering and Central Management Committee Meetings in January where the budget will be subjected to further discussions and approval.
   8. A Cabinet Paper Briefing Cabinet on all the components of the Games will be prepared and finalised before 31st December, 2020.
   9. There will be continued engagement with the Government of Japan regarding TeamKenya’s pre-training camp in Kurume City. This venue has already been confirmed and an MOU approved by the Honourable Attorney General signed by the Mayor of the City of Kurume and Governor of Fukuoka Prefecture.
   10. Training Facilities at the Moi International Sports Centre Kasarani and other agreed venues will be availed to TeamKenya to commence ‘Bubble Training Camps’ in line with strict COVID-19 Protocols ahead of the Games. All Tokyo Olympic participating Federations are advised to present requests for training venues to the Ministry before 24th December, 2020 for facilitation. Requests for training venues shall be lodged with the office of the Commissioner for Sports for further processing. Strict facility use priority will be granted to Tokyo 2020 Olympic and Paralympic TeamKenya.
   11. A team of journalists coordinated by the Media Representatives to the Steering and Central Management Committees will be embedded into the Team to ensure that we tell an authentic Kenyan story and facilitate interviews with athletes at the pre-training camp and at the actual Games. This will also serve as a mentorship program for sports journalists for future Games.
   12. The Ministry in conjunction with NOC-K and KNPC will launch a TeamKenya communication and Public Relations Training Program to educate athletes on general Japanese Culture, etiquette, interviewing skills and media response strategies to amplify TeamKenya and individual athletes branding.
   13. There is in place an elaborate Anti-Doping program which will be maintained and resourced without any compromise to secure effective and efficient participation of TeamKenya without medical and antidoping glitches.
   14. The Ministry led by the Cabinet Secretary will have a meeting with the Ambassador of Japan next week to discuss areas of possible collaboration and facilitation to TeamKenya ahead of the Games.
   15. All participating Federations are advised to provide a list of qualified athletes in advance and on a rolling basis to secure full and effective facilitation. A static selection criterion to be provided to NOC-K by all participating Federations to make team selection open, fair and transparent.
   16. All procurement requests connected to the Games MUST be subjected to the requirements of the Public Procurement and Asset Disposal Act, 2015.

Issued in Naivasha on 17th December, 2020

Signed

Amb. (Dr.) Amina Mohamed, EGH, CAV

CABINET SECRETARY

MINISTRY OF SPORTS, CULTURE AND HERITAGE