PAUL KURGAT

Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Republic of Kenya to Russia

ALICE J. KURGAT

african sports Keywords:, Kenya, kenyan athletes, sports and politics

Kenya's success at the Olympic Games and other major sporting events has created an image of a large and strong nation. The country trains world-class athletes who regularly declare themselves with new records. Sport has become an important tool of foreign policy and is used to promote the country's foreign policy interests, as a way to express its position on internationally significant issues.

The authors of the proposed article set themselves the following tasks: first, to consider in general terms the nature of sports in Kenya, the main achievements of Kenyan athletes since the 1950s; second, to consider sports achievements in the context of Kenya's foreign policy interests.

Sport and international relations are deeply interlinked in today's globalizing world. However, this is not only typical of modern times - at all times, international sport has been an element of international politics.

Africa has enormous sporting potential. In many countries of the world, including far beyond the borders of the African continent, the number of boxing, football and track and field stars from African countries is steadily growing.

INTERNATIONAL SPORTS DIPLOMACY

Kenyan runners have enjoyed increased attention around the world since Kenya's independence in 1960. Kenyan athletics has become part of the global sports culture. The success of Kenyan athletes in the international arena has brought the country both obvious and non-obvious dividends. Among the first-winning international competitions, attracting investment in the development of Kenyan sports. Among the non-obvious dividends, we consider the creation of a favorable image of Kenya in the foreign policy arena.

The success of Kenyan athletes embodies a symbol of national unity, a symbol of striving for higher goals. The achievements of such famous athletes in the past as Kipchoge Keino*, Paul Tergat**, Daniel Rudisha***, Tegla Lorupe**** have made Kenya famous far beyond its borders. Their cooperation with businesses, public organizations, and government agencies has had a positive impact on the development of local communities. For example, the Peace Foundation, founded by Tegla Lorupe, actively supports civil society building in Kenya and Uganda. The Foundation is also an initiator and prominent participant in projects to develop schools and help farmers in these countries.

The list of famous athletes in Kenya is updated annually. In the attached table, we provide data on Kenyan medalists at the XXX Summer Olympic Games 2012 in London.

The country's participation in international competitions is a prestige and a reason for pride. Kenya is gaining fame all over the world. The press covers not only the professional, but also the personal lives of famous athletes. This is how Kenyan athletes are known abroad. Famous foreign coaches come to teach local athletes - this is how cultural diplomacy works. Even more tangible - economic - dividends are paid by holding internal competitions-at the national, regional, city and village levels. Small Kenyan cities and urban-type towns, such as Eldoret and neighboring settlements, are turning into "sports towns" - mainly due to investments attracted by athletes. Athletes invest in the real sector of the economy, as the return on such investments can be expected within two to three years. It is impossible not to say that sports create a sense of unity (identity) that goes far beyond the stadiums.

The founder of the international Olympic Movement, Baron Pierre de Coubertin, adhered to both an idealistic and

* Kipchoge Keino-middle-and long-distance runner, medalist at the 1968 and 1972 Summer Olympics.

** Paul Tergat is a stayer runner who held the world's highest achievements in the marathon from 2003 to 2007.

*** Daniel Rudisha - 800m record holder .

**** Tegla Lorupe-super athlete, long-distance runner and marathon runner.

Table

Kenyan athletes-prize-winners of the XXX Summer Olympic Games 2012 in London

a utilitarian view of the Olympic Games, considering participation in them as an opportunity to resolve political issues in a peaceful way-through the communication of various groups in the international arena. However, Coubertin did not share the view that politics can affect sports to the same extent as sports affect politics. In his opinion, sport is an instrument of culture and only in this form can it be used in the strategic interests of politics as a kind of social energy. Participating in the Olympic Games, the Pan-African Games, the World Championships in Athletics and many other international competitions, and recognizing the potential of sport as an instrument of culture, Kenya uses the achievements of its athletes to create an attractive image of the country on the international stage. The current nature of the relationship between sport and the development of international relations can be compared with the original idea of the Olympic Movement. Sport today unites millions of people from different countries and continents, representing different cultures, religions and races. It serves as a tool for establishing relations and reducing tensions between States. In fact, the idea of stabilizing international relations formed the basis of the Olympic Movement, where athletes would represent the interests not only of their own countries, but also of the entire international community. Thus, the professionalization of sports contributes to overcoming state borders in favor of regional and global integration.

Such a popular sport as football provides us with many examples of how sports competition can become an important factor in international political relations. The 2010 FIFA World Cup, which was held on African soil for the first time, was an achievement not only for South Africa, but for the whole of Africa. This tournament demonstrated to the whole world the importance of the role that the Black Continent plays in it today.

Hosting the World Cup in Africa has significantly affected the national spirit of South Africans, improved the international image of South Africa, the entire region and Africa as a whole, and rallied Africans around this event. The songs "Wave the flag" and "Waka-Waka", which became, respectively, the official and unofficial anthems of the championship, fully expressed the idea that in June-July 2010 was in the air all over the continent:" it's time for Africa", which for the first time in a long time came out of the shadows. And for South Africa itself, it was a step towards unity after decades of apartheid, a significant boost to its prestige in the world.

DEVELOPMENT OF SPORTS IN KENYA

The history of modern sports in Kenya dates back to the period when the country was part of the British Colonial Empire. Of key importance was the establishment of a partnership between the nascent National Administration of Kenya and the English Amateur Athletics Association, founded in 1880.1 This sport began to gain popularity, replacing the traditional folk games that existed in many parts of Kenya.

The replacement of traditional African sports with modern "Western" sports was one of the consequences of the policy of social control that missionaries and the military jointly implemented during the colonial period. Modern sports were introduced by the colonial administration as an alternative to traditional dances, which were then considered to be overtly sexual in nature, and therefore were contrary to Christian morals.² Another goal of the colonial administration was to smooth out the dissatisfaction of Kenyans with the administration's policies through sports, to direct anti-colonial protest in a different direction.

In 1924, the first Minister of Education for British East Africa, James Orr, met in Nairobi with European military personnel, educators, and church representatives to discuss the prospects for the establishment of an Arab-African Sports Association.³ It was proposed to hold qualifying tournaments at the local community level in order to identify the best results.-

athletes to participate in the National Championship, which was planned to be held annually. The first such championship was held in 1925 in Nairobi. Until 1930, teams representing the provinces of the country participated in these competitions.

In the following years, the leading role in the development of sports was played by the Alliance of Students of Educational Institutions (in Nairobi) and the African National School (in Kapsabet). In 1949 and 1951. The Alliance fostered a dialogue between people of different races by organizing sports games between Kenyan and Indian students, as well as their peers from the Prince of Wales School in England. This was the first inter-racial competition held in Kenya.

The growing interest in athletics was felt throughout the country, especially in its central and western parts. If football was gaining popularity in Nyanza province, then athletics occupied this niche in the Rift Valley. In 1951, the first Kenyan Amateur Athletics Association Inter-racial Championship was held in Nairobi.

The progress of Kenyan athletics was clearly demonstrated by the first ever Kenyan-Ugandan Sports Games, held in Kampala (Uganda)in 1934⁵. And in 1952, a Kenyan delegation of 23 people participated in the Indo-Pacific Games in Madagascar, where the Kenyans ' opponents were French participants in the Olympic Games. This meeting marked Kenya's entry into the international sports community. In August 1953, the Kenyan national team of 22 athletes participated in the Central African Games held in Zimbabwe.

The success of Kenyan athletes allowed Kenya to join the International Amateur Athletics Federation in 1954, and in 1956 - to create the Kenyan Olympic Association. Kenyan athletes have contributed to further modernization of the country, and the government has not failed to take advantage of sporting success in the interests of its foreign policy.

THE ROLE OF SPORT IN KENYA'S FOREIGN POLICY

Sports and international relations go hand in hand in a global world. International sporting events, such as the Olympic Games , are a global event, judging by the breadth of geographical coverage and the degree of media coverage. Sport as a universal language of international communication is inseparable from politics. In some cases, participation in international competitions or boycotting them have political overtones or demonstrate politicking.⁶

In its recent history, Kenya has repeatedly used the factor of participation of its athletes in international competitions to express the country's political position.

The first time was when Nairobi boycotted a competition in South Africa to protest the apartheid regime in Southern Africa. In 1972, many African countries threatened the Olympic Committee with a boycott of the 76th Montreal Olympics in order to prevent South Africa and Rhodesia from participating. 22 African countries and Guyana also refused to participate in international competitions in the Netherlands, protesting against the country's friendly relations with South Africa. In addition to Kenya, Libya, Nigeria, the Gambia, Ghana, Sudan, Tanzania, Uganda, Algeria, Ethiopia, Madagascar, Central African Republic, Chad, Gabon, Congo, Niger, Mauritius, Burkina Faso, Malawi and Zimbabwe joined the boycotts.

But, to their disappointment, the boycotters found that Western countries that are considered models of democracy and respect for rights and freedoms did not follow their example by participating in these competitions. The consequences of these boycotts were painful for both state policy and athletes.

Speaking about Kenya's attitude to apartheid in South Africa, it should be noted that on May 16, 1986, Kenya signed the International Convention against Apartheid, which was ratified by the UN General Assembly.⁷ In this regard, the Kenyan Foreign Minister said that apartheid denies human rights, values and ideals of equality, and this is alien to sports.

For the second time, the reason for the boycott was the so-called "leg drain" of Kenyan athletes to rich countries of the world-the United States, Bahrain, Qatar, Denmark, the Netherlands, etc.⁸ For those who watch prestigious international athletics competitions, it is not difficult to notice that many countries of the world are represented by Kenyan athletes.

The third case is related to the Moscow Olympics-80, which 65 countries refused to participate in, including Kenya, which protested against the Soviet Union's entry of troops into Afghanistan in 1979. The then President of Kenya, Arap Moi, in an interview with the Soviet Ambassador on May 22, 1980, argued that Kenya was defending human rights in Afghanistan.⁹

There is reason to believe that the boycott of the Moscow Olympics-80 was inspired by Kenya's Western partners, as was the case with the boycott of the 1956 Montreal Games by other African countries. Similarly, in 1984, the Soviet Union and 14 other socialist bloc countries boycotted the Olympic Games in Los Angeles, arguing that the United States could not guarantee their athletes ' safety because of the anti-Soviet hysteria that had engulfed that country.

Sport, without a doubt, is an integral part of world culture. Today, Kenya is closer to the United States and Europe in terms of space and time. Sports agents and coaches are able to organize me-

grandiose events. The construction of stadiums and sports complexes, the international exchange of coaching experience, etc. spurred such significant international athletics competitions as the Bislett Games-1 in Oslo or the Weltklasse in Zurich. Sports development assistance has become part of the official aid package that poor developing countries receive from more developed and richer countries.

Back in the 1950s and 1960s. The United Kingdom has sent British trainers to Kenya as part of the general support programme for former colonies. In 1958. John Wetzian, a British track and field coach, has accepted the post of lecturer and track coach at the Narey College of Sports and Education. He became the head coach of the Kenya national track and field team and established the national Junior Track and Field Championships. He and other British coaches laid the foundations for modern athletics in Kenya.¹⁰

The Federal Republic of Germany also made a contribution to the development of Kenyan sports, which in the mid-70s sent its sports specialists to the country to work as coaches. The most famous of these is Abmair, who coached the Kenyan national track and field team from 1980 to 1985. He established the Kenyan Track and Field Coaches Association and personally trained 260 specialists in the coaching shop11 between 1981 ^and 1985.

The United States is trying to improve its image in Africa in general, and in Kenya in particular, by sending outstanding coaches and athletes there on a short-term basis. U.S. Peace Corps representative John Manners played a significant role in the development of amateur athletics in Kenya's Rift Valley from 1968 to 1971. His firm, John Hancock Financial Services, funded Kenyan runners to participate in the traditional Boston Marathon. And in 1990, the firm provided 12 million Kenyan shillings for the development of athletics in Kenya.

Other countries, such as China, have used the factor of cooperation in the field of sports to establish bilateral relations with African countries, in particular with Kenya. Since the 1980s, China has played a prominent role in the development of the International Sports Center im. Moi in Kasarani (Nairobi)¹². The sports facilities that have been made available to Kenya thanks to Chinese assistance allow it not only to train its athletes for prestigious international competitions, but also to organize them itself. In 1987, Kenya hosted the All-Africa Games.

Sport has a direct relationship with international relations and, therefore, acts as an effective tool for solving interstate issues. Sports also promote international trade and tourism, stimulate consumption, promote the sale of luxury goods, and attract wealthy tourists. On the other hand, for the same reasons, sports achievements contribute to the migration of athletes, settling them in other countries. Sport serves as a link between governments and other authorities in different countries.

Sport creates bright and attractive images of strong people in people's minds, promotes interpersonal relations among young people, increases self-esteem of young people and girls, gives them opportunities for self-realization, is a guarantee of good health, and in a global sense-promotes regional integration and conflict resolution. In this sport, the athlete is merciful to the losers, he is a messenger of peace and freedom.

In Kenya, athletes, especially track and field athletes, are steeped in glory. They contribute to the flow of investment into the country's economy, the influx of foreign tourists and, often, are the breadwinners of their communities.

Translated from English by A. E. ZHUKOV, M. Sc., IAfr RAS

^{Bale John} 1 and SangJoe. Kenyan Running: Movement, Culture, Geography and Global Change. London, Pot Land, OR: Frank Cass. 1996, p. 69.

^{Herman Bruce.} 2 Control and Crisis in Colonial Kenya. London, James Carrey, 1990, p. 101.

^{Bale John} 3 and SangJoe. Op. cit, p. 77 - 78.

⁴ Ibidem.

⁵ Ibid.

^{Peters Winston.} 6 Sports and Foreign Policy in Globalized World - http://en.beehive.govt.nz/node/26246

⁷ UN Chronicle. International Convention against Apartheid in Sports singned on 16 May by 43 State Members. August 1986 -http;//findartocles.com/p/articles/mi_ml309 /is_v23/ai_4539734

⁸ The phrase "leg leak" is used in this case because athletes were lured away individually by entering into contracts with them. Concerned about this issue, the non-profit organization Run with Kenyans organized a safari (race) - a symbolic event in which Kenyans honored their runners, paying tribute to their merits. "Running with Kenyans" was designed to awaken patriotic feelings in track and field athletes and show how much Kenya has to offer them. The organizers aimed to promote cross-cultural exchange, solve economic problems and attract the attention of local communities to this event. The Run with Kenyans group also participated in cultural and educational events in the United States, after which many members of the American sports elite were invited to participate in a safari in Kenya. "Running with Kenyans" contributed to the development of cultural diplomacy and global recognition of the achievements of Kenyan athletes.

⁹ The Standard. Nairobi, 23.05.1980.

^{Bale John} 10 and SangJoe. Op. cit., p. 11 - 13.

¹¹ Ibid., p. 113 - 114.

¹² Ibid., p. 115 - 116.

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