Kip Keino has denied wrongdoing in the Kenyan Olympic corruption scandal, telling The Associated Press that he didn't have control over the government money that prosecutors say was embezzled and misused around the time of the 2016 Rio de Janeiro Games.
Keino told the AP in a phone interview late Thursday that he was "not writing any government checks" at the time.
Keino was one of four former Olympic and government officials due in court Friday to face charges but he didn't appear, lending weight to speculation he may not be charged.
FILE - In this Sept. 4, 1972 file photo, Kipchoge Keino of Kenya raises his arms in triumph as he wins the final of the Olympic games 3,000-meter steeplechase event ahead of Benjamin Jipcho (574), another Kenyan, at the Munich Olympic Stadium, Germany. Running great Kip Keino has handed himself over to police and is under arrest following allegations he and six other Kenyan sports and government officials embezzled and misappropriated more than $545,000 set aside for their team at the 2016 Rio de Janeiro Olympics. Keino, former sports minister Hassan Wario and two other former sports ministry officials surrendered to police Thursday and are due in court Friday to plead to charges of corruption and abuse of office. (AP Photo, File)
The other three, including Kenya's former sports minister, did appear in court.
Talking to AP earlier, Keino appeared to blame government officials in the sports ministry for the misuse of the money, saying "it's their people who did it."
Keino, a two-time Olympic champion and honorary member of the International Olympic Committee, was one of seven officials prosecutors initially accused of embezzling and misappropriating more than $545,000 meant to fund Kenya's athletes in Rio.
Three were charged with corruption and abuse of office on Monday.
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