Pastor Dorcas tells athletes to plan well for retirement, honours Kiptum

Pastor Dorcas spoke on Wednesday when she hosted the Shujaa 7s team at the Deputy President’s Official Residence in Karen ahead of the team's participation in the Paris Olympic Games set for July 26 to August 11.

During the interactive session with the team members and their management, Pastor Dorcas called on the players to plan early for their retirement saying that the retirement age of athletes comes earlier than other fields.

“The retirement age of a sportsman or an athlete comes earlier compared to other professionals because of the competitive nature of their work. You must therefore save as much as you can. You must invest enough because you cannot be accommodated by the teams you will have enough for yourself,” she said.

Pastor Dorcas further said that for the longest time rugby has been misunderstood in the country as many Kenyans have associated the game with immoralities and other wrong doings.

She however said it is time to change the misconception thanking the team for leading in the front in its efforts of rebuilding the reputation and positively impacting the society through the keeping rugby clean initiative.

“I appreciate that you began to rebrand and rebuild as you seek to be a force for positive change within the society. The keeping rugby clean initiative will help to keep rugby away from betting, doping, alcoholism, drugs and substance abuse will be one of your hallmark successes.”

She also led the team in observing a minute of silence in honour of Kelvin Kiptum who died in a road accident on Sunday night alongside his coach Gervais Hakizimana.

Pastor Dorcas termed Kiptum as a national hero and a gem who has left a mark.

The team through its manager Stephen Sewe and the captain Tony Omondi promised to be champions of the ongoing Dignified Boychild campaign by Pastor Dorcas.

Pastor Dorcas is the patron of the Kenya Special Olympics team that represented the country in Berlin Olympics last year winning 15 Gold medals out of 25 medals that Kenya scooped.