Many athletes do not have a long-term plan while they are still competing, according to Pastor Dorcas, the spouse of the Deputy President of Kenya, who has urged Kenyan sports celebrities to make sure they plan for the future.
Pastor Dorcas gave a speech on Wednesday while the Shujaa 7s team was hosted at the Deputy President's Official Residence in Karen. This was before the team participated in the Olympic Games in Paris, scheduled for July 26–August 11.
Pastor Dorcas urged the players to make early retirement plans during the interactive session with the team members and management, pointing out that athletes reach retirement age earlier than people in other professions.
"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.
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Pastor Dorcas said rugby has long been misinterpreted since many Kenyans connect the sport to immorality and other wrongdoings.
However, she corrected the misconception and expressed gratitude to the team for taking the lead in repairing their reputation and having a positive social impact 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 and will be one of your hallmark successes."
Along with his coach, Gervais Hakizimana, she led the team in observing a minute of silence in honor of Kelvin Kiptum, who lost his life in a traffic accident on Sunday night.
Pastor Dorcas referred to Kiptum as a gem who has made an impact and is a national hero.
The group pledged to support Pastor Dorcas's ongoing Dignified Boychild campaign, led by Tony Omondi, the captain, and manager Stephen Sewe.
The Kenya Special Olympics team, which competed for the nation in the Berlin Olympics last year and took home 15 gold medals out of 25 medals, is sponsored by Pastor Dorcas.
