Sponsor threatens to pull plug on Kenya's warring federations

A Kenyan corporate giant has threatened to withdraw sponsorship from any warring federation in the country as disputes continue rocking a number of local governing bodies notably, football, athletics and rugby.

Speaking in Nairobi on Wednesday, leading domestic integrated communications service provider, Safaricom CEO Bob Collymore, said his company and others would pull the financial plug from these federations since they could not account of the money if infighting or feuding continues.

"What we are seeing now across the federations is lack of ethics and integrity whether its wrangles, corruption or doping, and unless they resolve the issues we will not waste our money in them," said Collymore.

"I do so much to protect my shareholder's money but I can't afford to give that to federations who squander and steal it," Collymore told local radio station, Capital FM.

Safaricom is among the biggest investors in local sport spanning the Athletics Kenya Relay Series and numerous distance races under the Safaricom Road Race Circuit, the annual Safaricom International Sevens and youth football tournament, Sakata Boli.

Collymore weighed into the doping crisis in the country epitomized by the two-year ban on female marathon running star, Rita Jeptoo for EPO use.

"It's such a big letdown to moral athletes like David Rudisha who are clean when modern sportsmen get involved in doping," he added in reference to the Olympics champion and world men 800m record holder.

Athletics Kenya, Kenya Rugby Union and Football Kenya Federation are some of federations embroiled by infighting of feuds. Endite