Kenya’s First National Sports Integrity Hotline Receives 217 Whistleblower Reports in 6 Months

Kenya’s Sports Integrity Hotline, launched on December 1, 2024, received 217 verified reports of fraud, match-fixing, and abuse in its first six months—leading to 9 federation suspensions and 3 criminal referrals. Operated by the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC) and NOCK, the toll-free line (1191) and SMS platform saw 63% of tip-offs from athletes and 28% from coaches. A major investigation exposed a KSh 28 million embezzlement in a national youth tournament, resulting in arrests. Anonymity builds courage, said EACC’s Halima Sheikh. Athletics Kenya became the first federation to mandate integrity training for staff. FIFA praised Kenya’s model and invited it to co-develop an AU-wide framework. The hotline now offers Swahili, Somali, and sign-language support.