Sensational Kenyan sprinter, Ferdinand Omanyala, has revealed that talks are ongoing with the government, primarily through the athletics board, to ensure athletes including himself get enough support ahead of the upcoming season.
Speaking to Kenyans.co.ke, Omanyala detailed that Kenyan athletes have been left on their own to seek support and sponsorship as opposed to what happens in developed countries.
He, however, stated that the talks were promising and would be vital in his career.
"The season just ended like a month ago, so talks are still ongoing. As individuals, we have to head out and look for our own support, which I am doing," he stated.
Regarding his recent controversy on sponsorship deals, he noted that the conflict of interest between his two managements at the time led him to stick with the right management that he deemed fit for his athletics career.
"We decided to end things mutually, our interests were not the same. The company was like a management team and I had another management, so I had to choose between them and my current management. So that is why I decided to leave them," he added.
DBA Africa on Monday, September 27, released a press statement announcing that it had cut ties with Omanyala as the two parties did not share the same values, co-values, and vision. Omanyala's current management is headed by his foreign manager, Marcel Viljoen.
Setting his sights in the upcoming season, Omanyala aims to break continental and global records in the World Championship, Commonwealth Games and African Championships. According to the athlete, dubbed the fastest man in Africa, records are of much more worth to him than titles.
Further, detailing the highs and lows in his life, he gave the 2017 instance when he was banned for 14 months for alleged doping - claims which he disputed to be false as he had received medicine the weeks prior which contained substance that was flagged.
The rising star became a national and global sensation when shattered the continental record during the Kip Keino Classic after clocking 9.77 seconds, 0.01 seconds shy of American Trayvon Bromell.
The victory led to Omanyala being gifted a vehicle as well as Ksh1.5 million by a local company.
