Sports competition returns to Kenya after terrorist mall attack

The African field hockey championships will finally take place in Kenya next month, which might not seem like a big deal until you know the backstory.

The 2013 Africa Cup for Nations is proof that sports and politics can never be completely separate.

The men’s and women’s tournament was originally scheduled to take place in Egypt but had to be moved because of political unrest in that country.

Officials set a new date for early this month in Kenya. Then terrorists attacked Nairobi’s Westgate shopping mall in a siege that claimed the lives of at least 67 people and injured many more.

Now the African Hockey Federation has announced that matches will be played in Kenya from Nov. 18-24. A number of countries had already withdrawn after the move from Egypt. It is unknown how many will enter the competition now.

“We have hosted before the Africa Club Championships and it is an honor to host this event,” Nashon Randiek, chairman of the Kenyan hockey federation, was quoted as saying by insidethegames.biz. “We are determined to make it a success.”

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