Kenya now want African qualifier results cancelled

Kenya Volleyball Federation are ready to take their case seeking the 2020 Tokyo Games beach volleyball Africa qualifier results nullified and a fresh competition organised resolved by the International Olympic Committee (IOC).

The federation wrote to African volleyball Confederation (CAVB) asking for the already played qualifiers nullified but judging from what the continental boss is saying Kenya’s request may come a cropper.

Speaking on Thursday on CAVB's YouTube channel while sending a good will message to the volleyball family across the world, CAVB president Amr Elwani said they had put on hold the remaining five qualifiers but the outcome of three that had already been played would remain.

“CAVB agreed to stop and postpone all upcoming activities and competitions even the Continental Cup events until further notice. This decision came in the best interest of all the parties considering that the health of the athletes, officials and fans is to be given top priority by all sporting authorities,” said Elwani.

FAILED TO TRAVEL

Kenya men and women’s teams failed to honour the qualifiers that were staged in Gambia and Nigeria respectively last month after the government stopped athletes from travelling outside the country following the coronavirus outbreak.

Most nations did not participate in the two qualifiers because of the virus menace.

“CAVB should be considerate and call off the previous results and have new dates set up after this epidemic is contained. This I believe will ensure that there is a level playing field for all the nations that had qualified for the second round and unfortunately didn’t participate in the event,” said KVF president Waithaka Kioni while confirming they had written to CAVB.

“Our case and any of the other nations is legitimate and therefore we won’t tire to see the qualifiers held with all the teams,” said Kioni, who is also Team Kenya Chef De Mission to the Tokyo Olympic Games.

The 2020 Games were postponed to next year because of the effects of the coronavirus that has seen more than half the world in some form of lockdown. The played qualifiers were the women’s event that was held in Nigeria, where the hosts and Zambia qualified for the final round in Pool “C” after Kenya, Democratic Republic of Congo and Cape Verde failed to travel.

In Pool D in Uganda, Egypt and Mozambique women’s teams qualified for the final round as Guinea, Zimbabwe and the hosts failed to make the cut.