Legendary Kenyan Boxer Dies

Gloves hanging in a boxing ring
Gloves hanging in a boxing ring
Twitter

Former Kenyan boxer Stephen Thega died on Tuesday night, September 28, 2021.

Ministry of Sport’s Heroes and Heroines sports coordinator and former athletics international Rose Tata-Muya stated that Thega passed away after a short illness.

Thega fell ill on Sunday and he was rushed to the Kenyatta National Hospital (KNH) where he was receiving treatment.

The former boxer, 75, had been recuperating at home after recovering from Covid-19 before he fell ill on Sunday.

Kenyan Olympian Steve Thega
Kenyan Olympian Steve Thega
Daily Nation

According to reports from his family, the former boxer was rushed to KNH after he developed breathing problems.

Tata Muya stated that Thega's wife thanked boxers and officials who had earlier raised Ksh16,200 towards his medical bills.

Thega won gold at the 1968 and 1972 Africa Championships in Lusaka and Nairobi. 

He participated in the light middleweight category at the 1968 Mexico City Olympics and in light heavyweight at the 1972 Munich Summer Olympics.

Thega's death comes at a time when the government has been pressured to ensure retired athletes are well compensated, especially those who put Kenya on an international stage.

Experts agree that athletes have a myriad of psycho-social health issues, which are rarely addressed. 

Tata-Muya in July 2020 lectured politicians and sports leaders noting that they had failed to do enough to help several legendary sportsmen who had either fallen into poverty or illness.

Muya demanded that the government honour its sports heroes by implementing a comprehensive medical insurance cover, declaring that she was done helping sportsmen and women on their deathbed.

"Speaker Lusaka, you're here. Those in Parliament, when you want to increase your salaries you do it in one day, you can even do it at night.

"As athletes we want the Heroes and Heroines Council to be implemented for us to be given medical cover. Will we always be helping people when they're heading to the grave? Is the government poor? We carried this flag and brought medals to this country," Muya asserted.

She went on to advise athletes to unite to demand that the government accord them the respect they deserve.

Retired athlete, Rose Tata
Retired athlete, Rose Tata
Capital Group
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