As the Narok County Secondary School Games kicked off yesterday at Maasai Girls Secondary School and Narok Boys High School sports ground, the sports officials sounded the alarm over the rising trend of schools fielding ineligible players.
The officials emphasised the urgent need to restore integrity and fairness in school sports and protect students from being sidelined by unethical practices.
Concerns have grown over some schools recruiting players from outside the institutions—commonly referred to as ‘mamluki’—in a bid to gain an unfair competitive advantage. This, according to officials, undermines the true purpose of the games and denies genuine students the opportunity to showcase and develop their talents.
Peter Maritim, chairman of the Narok County Secondary School Sports Association, stressed that school competitions were not just about winning trophies, but about providing a platform for young learners to grow in their sporting journey.
“These games are designed to empower and uplift students. It is disheartening to see some schools focusing on winning by any means, including bringing in non-students,” said Maritim. “This robs genuine learners of their chance to grow, and it is unacceptable.”
He further urged teachers and coaches to remain honest and prioritise mentorship over shortcuts, warning that the misuse of sports programs damages student morale and wastes government resources.
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In attendance were other officials, including Games Secretary Jacob Barusei, Treasurer Tito Musyoki, Vice Chairman Parmale Kuluo, Narok KUPPET Executive Secretary Charles Ngeno, and KUPPET Treasurer Seela Kuluo.
Barusei echoed Maritim’s sentiments, saying the issue is not merely about violating rules, but about justice and fairness for students who commit their time and energy to their teams.
“Imagine a student who has trained for months, only to be benched because a non-student has taken their place. That is both unethical and emotionally damaging,” he said.
He also called on students themselves to play a role in safeguarding the integrity of the competitions by reporting suspicious individuals posing as students.
According to the Kenya Secondary School Sports Association (KSSSA) regulations, only registered students aged 20 years and below are eligible to compete in school games.
With increasing scrutiny of school competitions, officials are now pushing for stricter document verification processes and stronger disciplinary measures to ensure fairness prevails, giving every student a fair chance to excel.
By Kelvin Kiprotich
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