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Rugby Legend & IOC Member
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Humphrey Kayange, OGW, OLY (born 20 July 1982 in Nairobi, Kenya) is a retired rugby union star and one of the most influential figures in the history of the Kenya Sevens team, Shujaa. Standing 1.98 m and playing primarily at centre, he was a key part of the national sevens setup from the early 2000s, captaining the side for several seasons and helping transform Kenya into a respected force on the HSBC World Rugby Sevens Series. He led Shujaa to memorable runs at the Rugby World Cup Sevens—reaching the semi-finals in 2009 (Dubai) and 2013 (Moscow)—and was part of the squad that delivered Kenya’s first-ever World Series Cup title at the 2016 Singapore Sevens. In recognition of his contribution, he became the first Kenyan to be inducted into the World Rugby Hall of Fame in 2021. Off the pitch, Kayange is an organic chemist and sports administrator. He holds an MSc in Chemistry from the University of Bristol and has worked as a laboratory analyst and research scientist in Kenya. In 2021 he was elected to the International Olympic Committee (IOC) Athletes’ Commission and became an IOC Member, reflecting his growing influence in global sports governance. Since 2022 he has served on the IOC Coordination Commission for the Dakar 2026 Youth Olympic Games and, in 2025, he was appointed Chair of that Commission—one of the highest-profile international roles held by a Kenyan sportsperson. He also co-founded the Good Kenyan Foundation, mentoring young people through education and sport.
Member, International Olympic Committee (IOC) Athletes' Commission (2021-Present)
Former Captain, Kenya Rugby Sevens (Shujaa)
Winner, 2016 Singapore Sevens
News articles featuring Humphrey Kayange
Order of the Golden Warrior (OGW)
Inducted into the World Rugby Hall of Fame (2021)
Earned a BSc in Biochemistry from Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology in 2004
Began his international rugby career with the Kenya Sevens team in 2005
Nominated for the World Rugby Sevens Player of the Year award in 2009
Helped the Kenya Sevens team reach the semi-finals of the 2009 Rugby World Cup Sevens
Served as a key member of the bid team that successfully advocated for rugby sevens' inclusion in the Olympic Games in 2009
Awarded the Presidential Order of the Golden Warrior (OGW) in 2010
Named Man of the Tournament at the Wales Sevens in 2010
Earned an MSc in Chemistry from the University of Bristol in 2014
Played for the Kenya Sevens team at the 2016 Rio Olympic Games, the sport's Olympic debut
Member of the historic Kenya Sevens squad that won the country's first-ever World Rugby Sevens Series Cup title in Singapore in 2016
Announced his retirement from international rugby in 2016
Elected as an athlete representative to the National Olympic Committee of Kenya (NOC-K) board in 2018
Completed an Executive Masters in Sports Organisation Management (MEMOS) in 2020
Inducted into the World Rugby Hall of Fame in 2021
Elected as a member of the International Olympic Committee (IOC) and appointed to the IOC Athletes' Commission in 2021
Appointed to the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) Executive Committee and Foundation Board in 2022
Appointed to the IOC Coordination Commission for the 2026 Dakar Youth Olympic Games in 2022
Promoted to Chair of the IOC Coordination Commission for the 2026 Dakar Youth Olympic Games in 2025
Selected to join the IOC Youth Olympic Games (YOG) Working Group in 2025
Elected as the second Vice-Chair of the IOC Athletes' Commission in 2026
