Kenya: Uhuru hands over flag to Rio team

Kenya’s president Uhuru Kenyatta has handed over the country’s flag to the team that will be competing in the upcoming summer Olympic games.

During the ceremony at the State house in Nairobi, Kenyatta urged the team to ensure they are clean touching on the doping allegations the country faces.

“Kenya has always had a strong tradition of proud clean successful competition in the Olympics. And indeed it is your turn to take this heritage even higher and to make your brothers and sisters proud of their nation and their flag. And I encourage each one of you to rise to the occasion and excel,” said Kenyatta.

Kenya is well known for producing some of the world’s best athletes but some 40 of them have been banned for doping in the last three years.

“Just go out there and show the world what Kenya can do and show them that we do it clean, and bring back the gold. But what is more important is not even the gold, what is more important is our pride, show that we can win clean and even if we don’t we shall be clean and we shall compete fairly. And I think that is the most important,” Kenyatta emphasized.

The East African country will be represented by 185 athletes drawn from track and field, boxing, judo, swimming, among others.