This archive report was first published on 9 July 2020.
On August 14, the Monaco Diamond League will kick off its season, but Kenyan stars will be noticeably absent from the roster. Uganda's world champion Joshua Cheptengei is among the athletes announced in the field.
Athletics Kenya president Jackson Tuwei has expressed concern over the financial implications of the travel restrictions on Kenyan athletes. 'Our athletes have suffered a lot since the lockdown was instituted and we don't want them to suffer further if they can get a chance to go and compete,' Tuwei said.
According to Tuwei, Kenyan athletes are not only missing out on travel opportunities but also on finances, profiles, and rankings. 'If they miss a whole season then it is not about missing travel, they are also missing a lot in terms of finances, profiles and even in terms of rankings,' Tuwei added.
President Uhuru Kenyatta announced the partial lifting of COVID-19 restrictions on Monday, but it remains to be seen whether this will have a positive impact on Kenyan athletes' ability to compete in Europe.
