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The IAAF is deeply saddened by the news that Charles Mukora, a former athlete and coach who went on to serve as an administrator at the highest level, died on Thursday (27) in Nairobi after a long illness. Mukora, a former IAAF Council and International Olympic Committee member, was 83.
As an athlete, Mukora competed in the long jump, triple jump and decathlon before he turned his attention to coaching. In 1968 he was appointed national team coach, leading Kenya to the Mexico City Summer Olympics later that year, an appearance that signalled Kenya's rising stature as a powerhouse in the middle and long distance events. Kipchoge Keino, Naftali Temu and Amos Biwott struck gold in the 1500m, 10,000m and 3000m steeplechase, respectively.
Mukora led the national team to Munich four years later where Keino took gold in the steeplechase and the men's 4x400m relay team triumphed. From 1972 to 1974, Mukora served as head of the Kenyan athletics federation and in 1976 was elected to the IAAF Council.
In 1989, Mukura became chairman of the National Olympic Committee of Kenya (NOCK) and the following year appointed a member of the IOC.
“Charles was one of the founding pillars of the National Olympic Committee of Kenya and his tenure saw Kenya firmly established in the global Olympic movement,” said Paul Tergat, a former world record holder and current NOCK president, in a statement to The Daily Nation.
“Charles made huge contributions towards the development and solidifying of the Olympic movement and Olympism in Kenya, and his contribution, particularly in expanding corporate participation in our sports, is well known,” Tergat added.
Bob Ramsak for the IAAF