First time in 60 years Kenya has zero boxers at Olympics

The 2024 Paris Olympic Games are finally underway after months of heightened preparations.

Around 10,500 athletes representing 206 National Olympic Committees arrived in the French capital late last month to compete for medals in the quadrennial global showpiece.

A strong Kenyan contingent of 81 athletes punched tickets to fly the country's flag across six sports disciplines.

The star-studded and talent-laden delegation comprises 45 track and field athletes, 15 rugby players, 16 volleyball players, two judokas, two swimmers and a fencer.

Sadly, though, for the first time in 60 years, the national boxing team, Hit Squad, failed to secure slots at the Games.

In recent years, Kenyan opponents have had a field day, gladly turning Hit Squad boxers into punching bags and transforming their faces into cherry pies.

It is now normal for our boxers to return from major international competitions with an empty basket, devoid of titles and honours. Victories in significant competitions are a thing of the past.

Boxing Federation of Kenya president Antony Ombok acknowledged the problem, saying they will adopt fresh measures to enhance Hit Squad's performance.

“We are deeply concerned about the dwindling fortunes of the Kenyan boxing team. Their performance in the recent past leaves a lot to be desired,” he said.

“We are doing everything we can to restore the country's lost glory on the international stage,” he added.

The once revered hard-punching ensemble of Kenya's gallant pugilists, who asserted authority and ravaged opponents at a whim, has now turned into a vulnerable lot who are regularly battered out of their wits.

Heightened efforts to turn around the team's fortunes have failed so far, and many people have thrown in the towel after agonising bouts of frustration.

Local boxing enthusiasts have raised concerns about the declining standards of the team that was once a Kenyan gem and pride abroad.

In the past, Kenyan boxers were the continent's blue-eyed boys in the ring. The East African nation was an emerging boxing powerhouse before the building crumbled into smithereens.

Fans have long wondered why we are finding it increasingly difficult to pick up the pieces from the ruins of our torrid performances. Does Hit Squad possess the ability to redefine itself and rise from the ashes? Can the team chart a new and promising future? 

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The Boxing Federation of Kenya has been on the receiving end of criticism from disgruntled sports journalists and fans.

Some believe the technical bench should be overhauled to usher in a competent team of tacticians who can work the magic required to fire Kenyan pugilists back to glory.

Others have heaped the blame on uninspired pugilists who hardly push beyond the limits to charge for international accolades.

National team head coach Benjamin Musa believes there is more to it than meets the eye. Speaking to the Star, he said the team needs urgent surgery.

"It's completely wrong for people to start making assumptions without digging deep to unearth the real problem," Musa said.

The seasoned tactician described financial handicaps as a major impediment. He said they require adequate funds to get them out of the woods.

"We hardly secure enough funds to run the federation and the national team," he said.

There is little support coming from the government. We appreciate all the efforts made by the government to support the cause but, truth be told, whatever we get is hardly enough to meet our needs.

Musa said enough funding will open countless avenues for the team's success.

"We'll buy tickets for the team to participate in buildup matches abroad. Teams that perform well internationally participate in many buildup tournaments to prepare for major international championships," he said.

"Such tournaments will help our boxers know what to expect because they will have prior knowledge of their opponents."

On many occasions, the local governing body struggles to secure sufficient funds to remain afloat.

“Things have never been easy especially to do with money,” Musa said.

"As the national treasurer of BFK, I don't even earn a salary. It becomes so hectic that we feel like giving up but we decide to fight on for the love of the game."

The country has been flying very few boxers to tournaments. This limits its potential to bag titles and medals. "Whereas our opponents travel with full squads of 10 boxers, we find ourselves ferrying half that number, thus reducing our potential to scoop medals," he said.

There are 10 weight categories in amateur boxing including light flyweight (49kg), flyweight (52kg), bantamweight (56kg), lightweight (60kg), light welterweight (64kg), welterweight (69kg), middleweight (75kg), light heavyweight (81kg), heavyweight (91kg) and super heavyweight (above 91kg).

EARLY PREPARATIONS 

Musa said top performers in the boxing circles usually prepare early for competition to avoid 11th-hour rush.

"It's quite the opposite for us because we've been known to assemble the team late in the day, when the competition is just about to start," he said.

In such a scenario, it becomes difficult to hone the skills of the boxers to the required standards because most of the preparations are hurriedly done.

"The nations that excel in the sport start preparing for the next edition immediately again once they are through with a tournament," Musa said.

Kenya boasts of sufficient talent, which the coaches can rummage through for quality boxers to propel the country to new heights, he said.

"The problem is that we lack adequate grassroots development structures. We've floated ideas to the relevant authorities to help us set up the necessary structures, but most of our suggestions have gone unheeded."

Musa believes the country has a chance to bounce back strongly and reclaim its lost glory.

A lot can be achieved if adequate measures are put in place by the relevant authorities, including the government.

A while ago, BFK had contemplated introducing boxing in Kenyan schools to tap into the latent talent early enough.

However, like many noble ideas that gathered dust on the shelves before, the concept went up in flames without being actualised.

The challenges are real, including parents and teachers who are hesitant about warming up to the idea in the belief that the sport is violent and might inflict injuries on the young ones.

Musa assured parents that their children are safe pursuing the sport and, contrary to popular belief, the brain cannot suffer damage because amateur boxers are encouraged to wear protective gear.

He believes the country will gain a lot of budding boxers who are encouraged early enough as soon as they show interest.

“It's something we've thought about for a long time now. We need to start developing talent at a tender age. Most of our boxers join the sport too late. Basic skills should be introduced by the age of six.

"We've realised that some of the boxers who earn first-time call-ups to the national team lack the basic skills required to perform well against well-honed opponents," he said.

'NOT ALL IS LOST'

The National Olympic Committee secretary general Francis Mutuku says all is not lost, adding that measures have been adopted to trigger and catalyse the team to unprecedented heights.

"We are equally concerned about the team's form in recent years. Kenyan boxers used to win us medals in the past, and it has now reached a point where we can no longer qualify any of them for the Olympics," Mutuku said.

"We have a lot of plans for the team, including organising trips overseas to enable the boxers to accumulate the expertise and knowledge they need to raise their standards to the required level."

Kenya's pro boxing poster boy Raymond Okwiri believes Kenyan boxers can sparkle again if the government and the federation do things the right way.

"We have immense talent in the country, and I don't see why we should perform miserably on the international stage. There are people simply sleeping on their job," he said.

"We need to rise to the occasion and come up with fresh ideas to help us succeed in tournaments. Most of our boxers are not well exposed. We need more build-up tournaments for better exposure." 

Okwiri asked BFK to consider including professional boxers in the national team.

Weighing in on the matter, Musa said they would not mind including pro boxers in the national team for future tournaments as long as the Kenya Professional Boxing Commission agrees.

“The problem is that we have previously had some run-ins with the KPBC whenever they have attempted to rope in some of their boxers," the head coach said. 

“I remember an incident that involved Rayton Okwiri during the 2020 Africa Olympic qualifiers in Senegal. The boxer expressed interest in representing the country at the Games, and we willingly absorbed him into the squad.

“However, our decision rubbed KPBC the wrong way and we have been a little bit cautious ever since.”

Still, Musa said he would not mind including their members in the national team if they have what it takes to succeed, adding that after all, they are also Kenyans. 

“However, we must sit down and streamline the activities of the amateur and professional local governing bodies to avert any form of disagreement,” he said.