Reprieve for Kenya as FIVB offers financial aid for Rio qualifiers
The Kenya women's national volleyball team players celebrate after beating Tunisia during the Women’s African Olympic Qualifiers in Yaoundé, Cameroon on February 13, 2016. PHOTO | CAVB |
What you need to know:
- The high ranking official was reacting to KVF’s decision to pull out of the qualifiers owing to lack of funds.
- KVF will now have to meet the additional Sh2 million worth of expenses which according to Zweiten is “the difference in price of ticket”.
The International Volleyball Federation has undertaken to partially facilitate Kenya’s participation in the Rio Olympics qualifiers.
In a communique to Kenya Volleyball Federation chairman Waithaka Kioni on Wednesday, FIVB’s Director of Volleyball Events Gabrielle van Zwieten confirmed the Lausanne-based body would cater for Kenya’s accommodation plus part of the air ticket costs for the intercontinental qualification tournament in Puerto Rico in May.
The high ranking official was reacting to KVF’s decision to pull out of the qualifiers owing to lack of funds.
Zwieten further added that FIVB has been compelled to help out the financially-strapped Malkia Strikers, in the wake of the team’s impressive performances in the past year, and specifically that historic win at the Group 3 FIVB Grand Prix in Australia last year.
According to FIVB’s proposal, the star-studded Kenyan squad will merge the trip to Argentina for this year’s fully sponsored Group 2 FIVB Grand Prix in June, with the Puerto Rico assignment.
“The arrival day in Argentina (for the Grand Prix) is end of May of which FIVB is covering the air tickets for your team. (Meanwhile) the (expected) arrival day of your team in Puerto Rico is May 17,” Zweiten’s email states in part.
The communique further stated: “We discussed with our travel agency and we can prepare a combined ticket. Your team will first travel to Puerto Rico and then continue afterwards to Argentina.
“We will ask (the) Argentina (Volleyball Federation) to host your team in a training camp in between the two competitions,” Zweiten said.
KVF will now have to meet the additional Sh2 million worth of expenses which according to Zweiten is “the difference in price of ticket”.
