Blow to Gor Mahia and AFC Leopards As Betsafe Withdraws Sponsorship

Blow to Gor Mahia and AFC Leopards As Betsafe Withdraws Sponsorship

Martin Moses
updated at April 12, 2023 at 8:03 PM
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  • Kenyan giants Gor Mahia and AFC Leopards are set to be without a sponsor with Betsafe deciding to terminate its deal with the clubs
  • Betsafe has been sponsoring the clubs since 2020 but are now pulling out with reports stating decreased revenues as the main reason
  • Gor Mahia and AFC Leopards have in the past struggled financially with both clubs getting difficulties in securing a sponsor

Kenya's biggest clubs Gor Mahia and AFC Leopards are set to lose their main sponsor. Betsafe is understood to have terminated its contract with the two clubs with immediate effect.

Reports indicate that the Betsafe will pull out of the deal that was supposed to last for three years. The betting company has been sponsoring the two clubs for the last two years.

The initial deal was agreed way back in June 2020. The Green Army was to get a figure of 55 million Kenya shillings while their archrivals were to get 40 million shillings.

Mozzart Sports reports that this deal was however revised downwards last year after the firm cited decreased revenue owing to the COVID-19 pandemic and increased government taxes on betting companies. Gor Mahia now got 30 million Kenya shillings while AFC got 20 million Kenya shillings.

The two clubs have always struggled financially despite their huge support fanbase and deep-rooted success in the Kenyan football scene. Gor Mahia are the record Kenya Premier League champions with 19 titles to their name.

At the same time 'K'Ogalo' as they are fondly referred to by their supporters, has claimed that they are yet to receive the prize kitty promised to them by the government after winning the Madaraka Cup on June 1st.

Gor Mahia played AFC Leopards at the Nyayo National Stadium as part of the celebrations to mark the country's 59 years of self-rule. They won the game on post-match penalties after the match had ended in a one-all draw after normal time.

The winner was supposed to walk away with 1 million Kenya shillings but the club's secretary Sam Ocholla has said that a Mr Mike Kimoko has not released the funds.

It has come to our attention that the prize money from State House that was to be awarded after our win against AFC Leopards at the Madaraka Day match has not been released by Mr. Mike Kimoko under unclear circumstances.

In the Premier League, Gor Mahia currently sit in fifth position while Ingwe are further back in eighth with less than three rounds to go.

Mauro Icardi spotted in Nairobi

Sports Brief had earlier reported that Paris Saint-Germain striker Mauro Icardi is in Kenya. Icardi is currently enjoying his off-season holiday after winning the French Ligue 1 this season.

In an Instagram post spotted by Sports Brief, Icardi has been accompanied to Kenya’s capital, Nairobi, by his ravishing partner, Wanda Narra. The duo visited the Giraffe Manor in Nairobi.

Giraffe Manor is described as an exquisite and exclusive boutique hotel by Safari Collection and home to the Rothschild giraffes.

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Martin Moses
Martin Moses is a sports journalist with over five years of experience in media. He graduated from Multimedia University of Kenya (Bachelor of Journalism, 2017-2021)
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