Strathmore, Butali out of continental club tourney

Kenya Hockey Union men’s Premier League champions Strathmore University Gladiators and Butali Sugar Warriors hockey clubs will not take part in the 2017 Africa Cup for Club Champions tourney.

The two clubs have cited financial challenges as the reason that will see the miss the continental club showpiece which will be held in Accra, Ghana from January 20-28 this year at the Theodosia Okoh Hockey Stadium.

Kenya will now only be represented by women’s teams – Telkom, who are also the continental champions and Strathmore University Scorpions, who finished second in the women’s Premier League behind Telkom last season.

Butali team manager Kamal Sambi admitted that it would be tough to sponsor the lakeside team to the annual competition.

“We would have loved to play in the competition but I don’t think we are in our position to honour it and we can only wish the clubs that will take part in the tourney the very best,” Sembi told Nation Sport.

Butali, who won bronze during the 2016 edition held in Nairobi last year, finished second in the 2017 league behind champions the Gladiators. A source at Strathmore University told Nation Sport said that it would be impossible for the Madaraka-based institution to take two teams to Ghana.

“We looked at different factors before arriving at the decision to take the women’s team and hopefully in the future we will send the men’s team,” the source said. Six men teams have so far confirmed participation to the 28th edition of the tourney.

Defending champions Eastern Company and record 23 time winners Sharkia from Egypt will once again be favourites to dominate the tourney. Eastern Company beat Kenya Police 3-2 on penalties in the 2016 final at the City Park Stadium.

The hosts will be represented by the duo of Ghana Revenue Authority and Ghana Trustees with Nigeria’s Niger Flickers and Police Machine rounding up the numbers. This will be the fourth time that the West Africa nation will be staging the tourney.

The women’s competition has also attracted six teams, two each from Kenya, Nigeria and the hosts Ghana. Telkom will be going for a record ninth title and their sixth in a row, while Scorpions are eyeing their maiden title.

Ghana will be bank on GRA and Police to ensure the title remains on home turf while Nigeria will be represented by Kada Queens and returnees Yobe Desert Queens.

The Africa Hockey Federation has already appointed Mark Taljard (South Africa) and Hulda Ambe from Nigeria as Tournament Directors, with Professor Ediga Agbo of Nigeria being selected as the Umpires Manager.

Ghanaians Richard Bayitse and Joyce Datsa will meanwhile be the Technical Officials.