Hockey team leaves for Uruguay without accommodation money

Tracy Karanja trains with the national women’s hockey team at City Park Stadium on February 7, 2015 ahead of the World League Two series in Uruguay. PHOTO | MARTIN MUKANGU |

What you need to know:

  • FIH reschedules Kenya’s opener against France, which was to be played on Saturday
  • Coach Jos Openda remained optimistic the team will turn the challenges into positives.

The national women’s hockey team finally left the country on Saturday morning for the World League two series in Montevideo, Uruguay. 

The travelling party of 18 players and 10 officials, among them including a government representative, jetted out of the country at 5.35 am, aboard Ethiopian Airlines flight.

They team was to fly to Addis Ababa en route to Sao Paolo before picking a connecting flight to Montevideo, a journey of about 22 hours.

This means the team will arrive in Montevideo early Sunday.  The trip had looked in doubt because by Friday evening, the Government had yet to release the Sh5 million to cater for the team’s food, accommodation and allowances. The team, however, jetted out without the money following a firm assurance from the government that it would be sent before the squad arrives in Uruguay. Kenya Hockey Union vice chairperson, Elynah Shiveka,  told Sunday Nation Sport that Sports Cabinet Secretary Hassan Wario called her personally to inform her about the decision after waiting for the money for hours.

LONG WAIT

“At one point, I was ready to tell the girls that their government had abandoned them at this time but the minister (Wario) gave me his word that the money would be sent and we believe him otherwise we shall be stranded in Uruguay,” Shiveka said.

The team held light training session on Friday morning at City Park Stadium ahead of the departure and players were confident they would perform well despite the challenges.

Coach Jos Openda remained optimistic the team will turn the challenges into positives.

“These challenges are usually there but we are mentally prepared for everything, the girls can’t wait to take to the pitch and show what they can do. We want to leave a mark in the event and move to the next round,” he said.

The International Hockey Federation agreed to reschedule Kenya’s opener against France which was to be played yesterday at 8pm. The team will now open their account against Trinidad and Tobago at 1am tomorrow Kenyan time.

Kenya will then come up against France tomorrow night before taking on Azerbaijan on Tuesday in their last Pool B match. Wednesday will be rest a day before the knock-out stage commences on Thursday.