Kenya's world steeplechase champion Ezekiel Kemboi will go to London for the Olympic Games in spite of a court case of assault back at home in Eldoret.

National Olympic Committee of Kenya (NOCK) chairman Kipchoge Keino said on Monday that Kemboi would travel to London for the Games, which are to start on July 27. < "I can confirm that Kemboi will be in the team. We send out person to inquire from Eldoret and we have reviewed the statement of the athlete. I have no doubt he will be cleared of the charges leveled against him," Keino said in Nairobi.

"It is not proper to let me talk about the issue, which is in court at the moment. What I can say is that he is in the team," he added.

Kemboi was arraigned in court with charges of assault and causing body harm to Ann Njeri last week. The case is still in court and will come up for hearing on September 3.

NOCK remained optimistic that Kemboi will be cleared by the British High Commission in Nairobi to travel to London for the games, because he has not yet been convicted of the assault offense.

But even Kemboi fails to jump that hurdle to get a traveling visa to Britain, Kenya is bubbling with rich talent in the sport. Kenya has dominated the steeplechase event since the 1968 games in Mexico City, where Amos Biwott clinched the first gold for Kenya in the event.

Africa and Commonwealth Games Champion Richard Mateelong and World fastest runner in the discipline Paul Kipsiele Koech are among the galaxy of stars waiting to fill in Kemboi's shoes and win Kenya a medal in London.

Kemboi debuted at the Athens Olympics in 2004 and went on to win the gold medal ahead of compatriots Brimin Kipruto and Kipsiele.

He was unlucky in Beijing four years later where he wound up seventh, citing stomach problems.