International handball coaching course postponed

The Olympic Solidarity Advanced Coaching handball course that was set to kick off this Friday at the Nyayo National stadium in Nairobi under Hungarian coaching instructor Zoltan Marczinka has been shelved.

This is after Marczinka, an International Handball Federation (IHF) instructor, was advised by Hungarian Foreign Affairs in Budapest and Hungary Embassy in Nairobi not to travel due to new variant of coronavirus- Omicron.

"Due to the new variant of Covid-19 Omicron, more and more countries close their borders for flights coming from Africa. I contacted the respective authorities to seek for information regarding my travel and stay in Nairobi but they advised me not to.

For the reason above I ask you both to seriously think about postponing the courses for a future time, when all participants can be safe in Nairobi and can travel safe forth and back," an email from the instructor to Kenya Handball Federation (KHF) read in part.

The license C course, which was to run till December 18, had attracted participants from Rwanda, Ethiopia, Uganda and hosts.

KHF Fixtures Secretary Charles Omondi confirmed receipt of the email saying they are exhausting other means.

"We are engaging the participants and the instructor if we can have the course online although a physical one would have been much better. If we cant manage to have it online, then we will purpose to hold the course next year but we remain guided. Marczinka was also to conduct another course in February next year, but with the new development, it's a matter of wait and see" said Omondi.

Marczinka was last in Kenya in 2013 when he conducted the same course in conjunction with National Olympic Committee of Kenya (NOC-K).

Meanwhile, Nairobi Water women's forward Brenda Ariviza was named the Most Valuable Player in the just ended East and Central Africa handball Federation Senior Clubs Championships in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania. 

Also feted was National Cereals and Produce Board goalkeeper Victor Otuoma. Nairobi Water and Rwanda Police defended their titles.