Athletes' barricade ends, deal struck at Kenya athletics HQ

Nairobi (AFP) - The two-day protest by Kenyan athletes inside the Athletics Kenya (AK) headquarters ended late on Tuesday after the two parties reached an agreement to end the crisis.

The agreement, brokered by the Kenyan Sports ministry, called for an amendment in the Athletics Kenya (AK) constitution to give the athletes more say and for the officials implicated in alleged corruption to step aside.

"We have had a fruitful discussion with the AK official and the athletes' representatives and accepted that the only way forward was to resolve the issue," sports ministry official Richard Ekai told reporters.

"We will immediately embark on the issue of reviewing the current AK constitution to make it in line with the constitution of Kenya 2010 and the Sports Act 2013.

"We have also asked the Professional Athletes Association of Kenya (PAAK) to submit a memorandum detailing their grievances on the management of the AK, and present it to the Minister of Sport next week."

The chairman of PAAK, Wilson Kipsang, a former world marathon record holder, said he was happy the protest had ended amicably.

"By protesting, the athletes showed they were yearning that their issues be heard. The athletes wanted to have a right to participate in the running of the sport," said Kipsang.

"We are requesting the government to take these issues seriously. We have been neglected for too long as the AK officials were not ready to listen to the athletes.

"As a leader and athlete, I believe in dialogue and this is the way to go."

AK chief Jackson Tuwei said the agreement would pave the way for the athletes to go back to their training in preparation for next year's Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro.

"Everything happens for a reason. What happened at the AK headquarters was not in vain," said Tuwei.