Uncertainty clouds Tong IL Moo-Do tourney in Mombasa
Team Kenya players are joined by those from other countries for the final training session ahead of the 10th Mombasa Open Tong-IL Moo-Do International Martial Arts Championship in Mombasa on December 16, 2022.
What you need to know:
- Director, Cultural Diplomacy at Ministry of Foreign and Diaspora Affairs Ambassador Ann Wanjohi said the government will ensure that the championship will go on as planned
- Twelve international teams are already in the country waiting to compete in the championships to be held at the Aga Khan Academy in Mombasa
- Mwakio further said that they were optimistic that those concerned would come to their aid to ensure the three-day tournament is held
A cloud of uncertainty hangs over the 10th edition of Mombasa Open Tong-IL Moo-Do International Martial Arts Championships slated to begin on Saturday in Mombasa.
This is due to delays in disbursement of funds by the government through the Ministry of Sports.
Director, Cultural Diplomacy at Ministry of Foreign and Diaspora Affairs Ambassador Ann Wanjohi Friday said the government will ensure that the championship will go on as planned.
“We will continue to cooperate with the Ministry of Youth and Sports because sports is good,” said Wanjohi who appreciated all visiting teams taking part in the tournament.
Wanjohi, who was representing Foreign Affairs Cabinet Secretary Alfred Mutua spoke when she visited various teams at Light International Academy where they were preparing for Saturday’s event.
Twelve international teams are already in the country waiting to compete in the championships to be held at the Aga Khan Academy in Mombasa.
Earlier, event organisers had expressed fears that Kenya Tong IL Moo Do Federation was likely to be banned should it fail to host the games as scheduled.
Federation chairman Clarence Mwakio said failure to host the event would embarrass the country and lead to a hefty fine with a possibility of a ban.
“As a country we have built an international relationship for over 35 years. To bid for international championships in the calendar for Africa as a country was a great honour,” said Mwakio.
He added that the federation has been in consultation with the government but the funds were yet to be released thus they were in a crisis.
Mwakio further said that they were optimistic that those concerned would come to their aid to ensure the three-day tournament is held.
“We wish to appeal to President William Ruto for his intervention to salvage the country from ridicule and international embarrassment. Our national team ‘Jasiri' has also been abandoned and is in low spirits but hopefully they will be assisted by the government,” said Mwakio.
He disclosed that some officials, international referees and judges were still held up in their countries due to lack of funds to facilitate their travel to the country to officiate at the championships.
Teams from Japan, USA, Korea, Philippines, Zambia, Brazil, Paraguay, Dominica Republic and Cote D’ivoire are already in Mombasa.
Mwakio said that they applied for funding before December 31 last year and had a meeting with sports officers’ mid-year who selected the Mombasa Open Championships as a priority events for consideration for funding.
“For a sport we have taken 35 years to build its image and brand and having started the most progressive international martial arts championships in Africa, bringing the world to Kenya for the last nine years, being wasted is unfortunate,” said Mwakio.
At last year’s event also held at the Aga Khan Academy, Kenya’s team Jasiri won a total of 39 gold,33 silver and 52 bronze medals.
Team Jasiri seeks to retain the title it has won for the past nine editions of the championships but faces stiff competition from Philippines.
