President William Ruto signs an autograph after rewarding the Kenya women's national volleyball team, Malkia Strikers, at Talanta Plaza in Nairobi on September 1, 2023.
National women’s volleyball team Malkia Strikers’ head coach Geoffrey Omondi is unhappy after the country was stripped of the rights to host the men and women’s Africa Zone Five Volleyball Club Championships this year.
Omondi said that this denied him the opportunity to scout potential Malkia Strikers players.
“This isn’t good for player development,” he said.
Sadik Nasiwu, president of the Confederation of Africa Volleyball (CAVB) Zone Five, disclosed that they had been forced to strip Kenya of the rights to host the event, which was scheduled to take place from 8 to 16 February, due to the country’s inability to stage it.
Kenya coach Luizomar de Moura talks to his players in a timeout during their FIVB World Championships Pool 'A' match against Belgium at Gelredome arena in Arnhem, Netherlands on September 25, 2022.
In a letter dated January 19, Nasiwu announced that the tournament had been postponed while a new host was sought for the championships, which have 13 member countries.
“Having Zone Five taken away from us isn’t good, but these are issues that KVF can deal with. We would have loved to see some of our players at this level, with a greater number of local clubs participating,” said Omondi.
“It would have given us a better idea of how to proceed when we have many foreign and international players competing against our teams,” he explained, adding that they are focusing on youth development for the future.
Zone V, the largest continental zone, comprises Kenya, Burundi, Eritrea, Djibouti, Sudan, South Sudan, Ethiopia, Uganda, Rwanda, Tanzania, Somalia and Egypt.
Kenya Volleyball Federation (KVF) first deputy president, Paul Bitok, played down the development, saying their focus is on hosting the Women’s Africa Cup of Nations this year.
The 22nd edition of the Women’s Africa Cup of Nations is scheduled to take place from 23 August to 5 September at Kasarani.
Malkia Strikers coach Paul Bitok is carried shoulder high by his players after their win against Cameroon during the Olympics qualifier at Palais polyvalent des sports (Paposy) Arena in Yaoundé on January 7, 2020.
Bitok said that the country already has a lot on its plate as it prepares to take the national men’s team, the Wafalme Stars, to the Men’s Africa Cup of Nations, which is scheduled to take place in DR Congo from September 7 to 21.
“We also have four teams competing in the men’s and women’s African Club Championships, so we didn’t want to spread ourselves too thin. The government is also overwhelmed with budgets,” Bitok said.
The Africa Men’s Volleyball Club Championship is scheduled to take place from 20 April to 3 May in Kigali, Rwanda, while the Africa Women’s Volleyball Club Championship is set to take place from 7 to 15 April in Cairo, Egypt.
Bitok dismissed the suggestion that Kenya was stripped of the right to host the zonal event due to inadequate facilities, stating that the country has sufficient facilities. “We won’t be hosting the African championship then,” said Bitok.
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