Men's team pulls out of Cairo tournament

Cash-strapped Kenya Prisons men’s volleyball team has pulled out of the 2009 Africa Club Championship tournament which got under way on Thursday in Cairo, Egypt. The withdrawal of Prisons now leaves Kenya with only General Service Unit in the competition dominated by North African teams.

The Commissioner of Prisons, Isaiah Osugo, conceded that his department could not secure enough cash to fund the trip of 12 players and four officials to their debut appearance at the continental competition. The decision to withdraw the team from the competition was arrived at on Tuesday night, nearly a week after the officials had confirmed the team’s participation, paid for visas and booked air tickets.

One of the senior officials at the department who is working in the Prisons sports council confirmed that the team was only waiting for allowances when the news filtered through. The team was all set to depart on Wednesday morning, added the official.

Some 18 teams divided into four pools were confirmed at Wednesday’s technical meeting in Cairo. The winner of the one-week tournament will compete in the World Club Championship. GSU, an ACC regular, will be for the seventh time seeking to lift the crown although their best show was in 2006 in South Africa where they secured a bronze medal.

The paramilitary side, under Moses Epoloto, have been seeded top in Pool D. GSU were due to play last night against Ahly Beni Ghazi in their first match.

Draw

Pool A: Al Ahly (Egypt), Liberte (South Africa), Olympic Chlef (Algeria), FAP (Cameroon)
Pool B: Zamalek (defending champions, Egypt), Prisons Service (Nigeria), Federal Defense (Ethiopia), APR (Rwanda), VC Tonnere (RD Congo)
Pool C: Ahly Tripoli (Libya), Inter Club (Congo), Force Terreste (RD Congo), Port Douala (Cameroon)
Pool D: GSU (Kenya), Sonel (Cameroon), Muzinga (Burundi), Ahly Beni Ghazi (Libya), Mugher Cement (Ethiopia)