Kenya has been criticised by Council of East and Central Africa Football Associations (CECAFA) following the sudden withdrawal of the Harambee Stars from the Four Nations Tournament, which was set to kick off on Monday, July 21.
CEFAFA, an affiliate of the Confederation of African Football (CAF), issued a statement on Tuesday, describing the Harambee Stars' withdrawal from the tournament as regrettable and unfair, particularly because the body insists a majority of Kenya's exorbitant demands prior to the tournament were met.
“It is unfortunate the decision came on July 21st when all reasonable concerns raised by FKF had been addressed earlier by CECAFA few hours before kick-off,” the statement read in part.
Benni McCarthy's side withdrew from the Four Nations' tournament at the eleventh hour, with the team already in Tanzania and gearing up for their opening match against Uganda.
The Football Kenya Federation (FKF) confirmed the withdrawal in a statement, suggesting that the conditions in Tanzania were sub-par, which posed a risk to the players.
"The decision has been made following recommendations and advice from the team's technical bench, led by head coach Benni McCarthy, after a thorough assessment of the prevailing conditions, which were deemed unsuitable for the team's participation and overall preparation," FKF said in a statement.
But in a rejoinder, CECAFA denied subjecting the Harambee Stars to poor conditions. The body further claimed that, unlike other participants in the Four Nations Tournament (Uganda, Tanzania and Senegal), Kenya had over-the-top demands which CECAFA tried its best to meet.
CECAFA proceeded to outline steps it took to accommodate the Kenyan team, including relocating the Harambee Stars to a hotel of their choice and providing full board accommodation and meals aligned with the players' dietary needs.
Dedicated internet routers specifically for the Kenyan National team were also installed at the hotel, according to CECAFA.
“These actions were taken in good faith and with urgency to ensure the Kenyan delegation was comfortable and fully supported in their preparations,” the regional football body added.
CECAFA further claimed that Kenya's withdrawal from the Four Nations, which acts as a precursor to the much larger African Nations Championships (CHAN 2024), undermined the spirit of regional cooperation and hurt the integrity of the preparatory tournament.
Kenya’s withdrawal came barely two weeks before the CHAN tournament kicks off. Pundits have argued that the withdrawal was a strategic one to increase the Harambee Stars' chances of putting up a good performance at the tournament with minimal unexpected injuries.
The 2024 CHAN, will be co-hosted by Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda and Zanzibar, with Kenyans enjoying a rare advantage since all of the national team's group games will be played at home.
