Malkia Strikers and Wafalme Stars trip to Accra, Ghana for the 2023 African Games hangs in the balance as the government remains non-committal on facilitating the two teams.
The Kenya Volleyball Federation (KVF) deputy president Paul Bitok on Wednesday alleged that the Kenya National Sports Council had indicated that only individual sports would be facilitated for the delayed Games scheduled to commence on March 8.
The two national volleyball teams were scheduled to begin their non-residential training on Wednesday but their plans were put on the back-burner following the latest development, and a spot check by Citizen Digital confirmed the teams had not reported at Kasarani Indoor Arena.
“We received information not to start our preparations for the African Games until we receive proper communication from the sports council. They said they didn’t have funds to sponsor teams for the championships,” Bitok revealed.
The former Malkia Strikers head coach said it would be inconceivable for the ten-time African champions to fail to travel to defend their title they won in 2019 in Morocco.
“We don’t want to imagine a championship without the defending champions Malkia Strikers. It would be a shame for the country. We urge the ministry to do something or willing sponsors to help our two teams take part in the continental showpiece,” he added.
Bitok added that the Games would also give the technical bench a perfect chance to gauge the squad ahead of this year’s Paris Olympic Games.
“The ministry cannot sit back and allow this to happen. We should maintain the standards that we have toiled to set. The same competition would help us prepare for the Olympic Games, and so the ministry should reconsider their priorities.”
Malkia Strikers and Wafalme Stars qualified to the Games after both teams finished second in last month’s Zone V Volleyball Championship held in Cairo, Egypt.
Wafalme Stars are making a return to the African Games scene for the first time since 2011 when they finished third in Maputo.
