‘Do Not Come Back Home’ - Frustrated Athlete Warns Foreign-Born Kenyans Against Representing the Country

The Olympian has expressed her disappointment at the poor treatment subjected to sportsmen and women in Kenya, warning foreign-born athletes against switching allegiance.

Fencer Alexandra Ndolo is on the offensive again against Kenya after expressing her disappointment over the manner in which the country’s athletes are treated.

Ndolo made history by becoming the first Kenyan to represent the country at the Olympics in the rare sport when she made it to the Paris 2024 Games.

However, her journey was bumpy as she had to endure frustrations during her qualifying campaign, having to foot most of her own bills and she would later blast the Kenyan government, Kenya Fencing Federation and National Olympics Committee of Kenya for offering little help.

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Ndolo received some funding from Kenya, but she felt it was not enough, even though she soldiered on and qualified for the Olympics where she was eliminated in the first round.

However, having previously appeared to have mended fences with Kenya, Ndolo has come out guns blazing again, hitting out at the country for not caring about its sportsmen and women, and watching from a distance as federations frustrate athletes who toil to bring glory to the nation.

Ndolo Warns Foreign-Born Talents Against Kenya

“It seems that no institution in Kenya is or feels responsible for keeping sports federations in check, because in my three-year quest for answers and a checks and balances structure, I could find none,” Ndolo lamented through a social media post.

“This is a bad sign, not just for me, but for Kenyan athletes in general. Across sports, to currently competing athletes or those considering to join. At this moment I could not in good conscience recommend to any athlete of Kenyan descent to join the team. Diasporans, do not come back home,” added the German-born fencer, warning foreign-born athletes against turning out for Kenya.

Born to a Kenyan father and a Polish mother, in Bayreuth, a German town in Northern Bavaria, Ndolo fenced for Germany for close to 20 years before she switched allegiance to Kenya in July 2022.

She would get clearance to represent the country at the Paris 2024 Olympics in June 2023 before sealing her ticket to the Games in March 2024.

What Next for The Frustrated German-Born Fencer?

At the Olympics, Ndolo narrowly lost 12-13 to Ukrainian Olena Kryvytska in the women’s Epee round of 32 after fighting hard in the game and after that experience, she still has the desire to push on for Kenya amidst the frustrations.

“What else remains to be said or done? I will continue to train and compete for Team Kenya and the African fencing system. I will attempt to qualify for the LA Olympics. Not because I enjoy the endless, unnecessary, additional battles on the sideline, but because I set out on this path with a clear vision in mind,” Ndolo further stated.

“I wanted to use my talents to bring the sport I love so much back home. To widely introduce and lastingly establish it in my late father’s homeland. The first step is done. Kenyans know fencing. The second step will be possible once people with the power to do so will take an invested look and will take action, because I cannot accomplish this by myself,” she said, throwing the ball in the court of Kenyan authorities.

The 38-year-old is a member of the TSV Bayer 04 Leverkusen fencing club which has been key to her fencing career, helping her become a household name since she was young.