Mombasa Martial Arts leaders urge speedy return of contact-sports

The clamour to have contact-sports ban reviewed has gathered momentum with Martial Arts stakeholders latest to give voice to their anger over the government’s decision to remain silent on the issue.

Speaking Wednesday after resuming light training in Likoni and Mvita in Mombasa, Taekwondo chairman Crispine Mwadime, said they have turned to aerobics and individual training awaiting the go-ahead from the Ministry of Sports.

Last month, Sports Cabinet Secretary Amina Mohamed gave non-contact sports the green light to restart while extending the ban of contact sports but Mwadime thinks it’s time the situation got reviewed.

“We have started with non-contact training and we urge the government to allow us return to action because it’s unfair for politics to go on unabated but sports remain closed. We’ve many people who depend on sports sector hence the need for the ministry to reconsider its decision,” said Mwadime.

Mwadime added that coronavirus pandemic has disrupted their calendar with the Mombasa International TaeKwonDo championship postponed to next year.

“We were forced to call off our international championship due to the pandemic but coaching seminars will go on,” he added.

Their Taita Taveta County counterparts have also outlined guidelines on how to uplift the standards of the sport in the area.

Taveta chairman Elcana Mwangemi has lauded the county government’s support towards the Martial Arts and promised to come back stronger post-coronavirus.

“Corona came at a bad time when the kids were in high spirit but we believe we will bounce back”, explained Mwangemi.

Their plea comes just a day after the basketball men’s national team, Morans, were allowed to resume training ahead of the AfroBasket qualifiers next month.