Rukenkanya dares athletics federation

“Take my money and I sue you,” the former athletics national team head coach, Adolph Rukenkanya, has threatened to take legal action if the local athletics federation to deducts any coin from his salary.

Wednesday, May 07, 2008

"Take my money and I sue you,” the former athletics national team head coach, Adolph Rukenkanya, has threatened to take legal action if the local athletics federation to deducts any coin from his salary.

"It is my money and if they make a mistake and deduct any single coin, I will sue them,” said Rukenkanya, "I am not their federation sponsor.”

Through a letter from by Rwanda Athletics Federation (RAF) to the Sports and Culture ministry, the Burundian is supposed to pay a fine of $7000 in financial losses incurred on air tickets for the 14-man team that traveled or supposed to travel for the World Cross Country championship in Edinburgh, Scotland last month.

Losses were prompted by an additional $500 to update each ticket after departure was postponed from March 27 to 28.

"Officials in the ministry understand well that the whole issue is a concoction, but they have nothing to do about it.”

"I have asked them (ministry) to pay me and I go. But because my salary passes on RAF accounts, the federation may want to deduct their fine,” Rukenkanya stated.

He further noted that he requested for a personal hearing before the responsible people to give his own side in regards to the whole saga but in vein.

The vastly experienced trainer took a swipe at the athletics federation hierarchy for their failure to get equipment (from PUMA) for the Addis-bound team and he also holds them responsible for the old national flag being raised in Addis Ababa during the just concluded Africa championship.

Ends