Kenyan Sport in the Aftermath of the Commonwealth Games, Manchester 2002

• Published in: Culture, sport, society sport, society, 2004-06, Vol.7 (2), p.175-191
• Main Author: Chappell, Robert
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome; Corruption; Kenya; Political Change; Political Ideologies; Political Systems; Poverty; Sports
• ISSN: 1743-0437; 1461-0981; 1743-0445; 1743-0445
• DOI: 10.1080/1461098042000222252

Analysed in the context of being a developing country, Kenya has been remarkably successful in international sport. Taking into account research which indicates a high correlation (0.71) between the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) of a country and their success at the Olympic Games, Kenya has been one of the most successful countries at the Olympic Games along with Cuba and Ethiopia. However, closer scrutiny of their successes reveals that much of Kenya's success has been achieved in middle- and long-distance running. Kenyan runners have had remarkable successes at the Olympic Games, the International Amateur Athletic Championships (IAAF), and the Commonwealth Games. Kenya had been the highest finisher of the African nations at previous Commonwealth Games, but at Manchester 2002, Cameroon was the most successful African nation. The aim of this article is to examine the relationship between culture, sport and political ideology in Kenya in the aftermath of Manchester 2002. It concludes that there is much international, national and regional interest in a wide variety of sports for men and women. But the problems Kenya faces in developing sport are immense as it has far more pressing problems to address such as abject poverty, a HIV/AIDS pandemic, and a political system dogged by tribalism and corruption. Hence, much recent interest focuses not on the disappointing results from Manchester 2002, but on who will be replacing the outgoing President, and if a democratic government will be established.