KRU orders 7s coaches to ‘pack and go’
Kenya Sevens team’s fitness and conditioning coach Graham Bentz during training at RFUEA ground on January 28, 2015. PHOTO | FILE |
What you need to know:
- Union says South Africans’ business in Kenya is over
- The union handed the South African tacticians air tickets for their flights that were due last evening, saying their high performance programme with the team had been stopped.
The storm at the Kenya Sevens deepened on Tuesday after Kenya Rugby Union (KRU) ordered deputy coach, Vuyo Zangqua, and strength and conditioning coach, Graham Bentz, “to pack and go”.
The union handed the South African tacticians air tickets for their flights that were due last evening, saying their high performance programme with the team had been stopped.
The coaches were also told to vacate their houses and hand over vehicles allocated to them. The two however declined to leave the country, saying their obligations with the team still stand since their contracts expire in September 2016, just after the Rio Olympic Games.
“Now that there is a problem, they now want us out instead of focusing on the real issues,” Bentz told Daily Nation Sport.
NO SALARIES
He took issue with the union for shifting blame rather than focusing on the problem at hand. “The players have not been paid for three months. What we are saying is that we haven’t boycotted training. It’s just that we have no means to take us to training,” said Bentz.
“Someone just can’t give us air tickets and expect us to leave when we have contracts with the union. How do they expect us and the players to go for training without salaries?” he posed.
Vuyo said there is no reason for them to return home as there is no clear direction as to where they would be heading or the status of their contracts.
“We shall stay in Nairobi to continue working. Flying back to South Africa now would be a waste of money. It is virtually impossible for us to travel until our issues have been resolved,” said Vuyo.
Bentz said he has eight players who are nursing injuries at his house. “The rest can’t go for training because they have no money,” added Bentz.
Contacted, KRU chief executive officer Ronald Bukusi insisted the two must leave, saying: “They (Vuyo and Bentz) were supposed to be here on business but that business isn’t happening so we told them to go home.”
The duo, Kenya Sevens team manager Steve Sewe and skipper Andrew Amonde told a press conference on Friday that it was impossible for them to resume training since they had no money.
“No one has refused to pay the players and the coaches. It’s just that the union doesn’t have money at the moment. We shall pay them the moment the cash starts to flow in,” said Bukusi.
