By  Duncan Mackay 

Kenya won 11 medals at London 2012 but only two gold - a disappointment after six at Beijing four years earlier ©AFP/Getty ImagesFebruary 24 - A long-awaited report into Kenya's poor performance at London 2012 has put the blame on Athletics Kenya (AK).


Kenya won 11 medals at London 2012, but only two of them were gold, widely seen as a disappointment after Beijing four years earlier when they claimed six gold medals.

The team's Chef de Mission Jonathan Koskei and Stephen arap Soi, a senior official with the National Committee of Kenya (NOCK), have now handed in a damning report to the Government which blames Athletics Kenya.

The large majority of Kenya's team at London 2012 was made up of track and field athletes. 

They provided the outstanding performance of London 2012 when David Rudisha set a world record in the 800 metres, while Ezekiel Kemboi won the 3,000m steeplechase for the second time in three Games, but otherwise it was disappointing. 

David Rudisha was the outstanding track and field performer at London 2012, breaking the world 800 metres record, but too many of his team-mates disappointed ©Sports Illustrated/Getty ImagesDavid Rudisha was the outstanding track and field performer at London 2012, breaking the world 800 metres record, but too many of his team-mates disappointed
©Sports Illustrated/Getty Images

"The team did not perform to the expectation of Kenyans due to divided loyalty, technical aspects especially in coaching and negative publicity," said Koskei in the report, according to The Standard in Nairobi. 

"Some athletes did not know who was in charge between AK and NOCK,"

They are particularly damning about an alleged row over where the team should base itself in the build-up to the Olympics.

The NOCK signed a deal with Bristol but it is claimed in the report that AK arranged their own base in Bedford.

"It was as a result of various change of goalposts and persistent refusal by the chairman of AK, Isaiah Kiplagat, that we discovered that indeed in June 2010, he signed an MoU (Memorandum of Understanding) with the City of Bedford to have pre-Olympic training camp and was therefore against Team Kenya training in Bristol, claiming that it was unsuitable because it was low altitude," said Koskei.

"Bristol and Bedford are both in the same altitude and would have provided same benefits.

"Kenyans should judge for themselves who between NOCK and AK misguided or denied the athletes acclimatisation opportunities.

"As a result of non-cooperation by Athletics Kenya and the athletes, the team did not perform to our expectation."

Double Olympic medallist Vivian Cheruiyot comes in for criticism in the report and is accused of "indiscipline" ©AFP/Getty ImagesDouble Olympic medallist Vivian Cheruiyot comes in for criticism in the report and is accused of "indiscipline" ©AFP/Getty Images

There is also criticism in the report of Vivian Cheruiyot, winner of the Olympic bronze medal in the 10,000 metres and silver in 5,000m, who is accused of indiscipline after demanding that her husband be allowed to stay with her at the Olympic Village without prior arrangement.

According to a separate report handed to the Government, Kenya's participation at London 2012 cost $2.7 million (£1.5 million/€1.9 million), including $142,000 (£86,000/€104,000) for the training camp in Bristol.

Kiplagat denied that he had been involved in entering into a separate agreement with Bedford. 

"I have never seen [the] report and I don't know its contents," he told The Standard.

"The report was sent to the Ministry [of Sports] and has not been released to the public.

"We never signed anything with the city of Bedford."

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