Nairobi: Team Kenya officials for the Tokyo 2025 Summer Deaflympics have clarified the decision to drop seven teams from the Games scheduled for November 15 to 26. Initially, Kenya was set to compete in 12 disciplines, but the number has been reduced to five - athletics, swimming, women's basketball, men's handball, and golf. The teams which have been dropped are women's volleyball, women's football, cycling, tennis, table tennis, badminton, and bowling.
According to Kenya News Agency, addressing the press at Moi International Sports Centre, Kasarani in Nairobi, Team Kenya Chief Executive Officer Duncan Kuria cited budget constraints as the major reason for the decision. 'Initially, we had 12 disciplines but we did some deliberations with the government officers in the Ministry of Sports and we came to a decision that we had to reduce some of the teams,' clarified Kuria.
Kuria emphasized that the decision was purely financial and not related to the potential of the dropped teams to win medals. In deciding which teams to be dropped, Kuria said the selection was based on international experience and previous performances on the global stage. 'It is one of the worst jobs when you are having to disappoint so many athletes who have trained for so long trying to prepare for a top championship,' the Team Kenya CEO noted.
He added that the lack of African Deaf Championships had disadvantaged the teams dropped, specifically mentioning bowling, which had shown potential in Tokyo but was excluded due to lack of international exposure. As for the women's football team, he noted that they were dropped because of their performance in the last edition of the Deaflympics in Caxias Do Sul in Brazil in 2022.
Team Kenya Chief de Mission Bernard Banja echoed Kuria's sentiments, explaining that the budget was constrained due to other events like CHAN and the World Cup Qualifiers. Banja stated, 'We never thought of reducing the teams, it was not an easy thing. We discussed it and considered the criteria of selecting teams, which have participated in the Deaflympics, World Championship and other sporting events internationally.'
Kuria assured players from the dropped teams that they would be refunded the money spent on hearing tests, known as audiograms. He confirmed that Kenya will be represented in Tokyo by 177 athletes who have already started their residential training camp at Moi International Sports Centre, Kasarani in Nairobi.