A dispute in the payment to the country’s mens' Rugby team, Shujaa, has prompted the government’s involvement for the payments to be made.
In a controversial move to protest the delayed payments by Brand Kenya, the players blanked out Brand Kenya’s sponsorship logo on their shirts using duct tape.
Brand Kenya hit back in a tweet, that was later deleted, terming the move as an insult to what sportsmanship stands for.
It is amazing how the boys performed over the past couple of matches yet they had not received any payments.
Despite losing the opening match to New Zealand by 5-24, the boys recovered to overcome Fiji by 22-19 and essentially ended the Oceania nation’s unbeaten 22-game run in the Paris 7s World Rugby Series.
In a tweet, Chief of Staff Nzioka Waita said he had reached out to the ministry over the delayed payments.
“I have been assured that the Sports Ministry through @PsSportsKenya will engage @OfficialKRU as to why the Union has failed to release payments to the national 7s squad,” Nzioka’s tweet read in part.
The rugby sevens are true ambassadors of Kenya having marketed most of what the country stands for on multiple platforms worldwide during the competitions that they have been performing so well lately.
They should be paid on time and in full to ensure that their morale does not fall to damaging levels.