Roll ball team yet to get visas

Kenya Rollbal team members. [PHOTO: SPORTPICHA.COM]

Kenya women Roll Ball team’s chances of defending their World Cup title from February 17-24 in Dhaka, Bangladesh, are dimming by the day with visas and air tickets yet to be secured.

When FeverPitch visited the team at their non-residential training at Kasarani Stadium, they found the players preparing food in a makeshift tent - this being just one of the many difficulties the team is facing.

The team’s plea to have the Sports ministry facilitate them access a conducive training facility, the Indoor Arena, has not yielded a response.

Team manager Musa Kaguli has been cooking for the players at his house in Mirema in Roysambu, as some of the players cannot afford decent meals.

“We are not sure of travelling. The players keep asking when their passports would be taken for visa stamping and when their air tickets will be available. The camp is in disarray,” said Kaguli at Kasarani.

Despite the challenges, the team is putting up a brave face, training daily on the hard surface outside Kasarani Gate 4, since January 9.

Kenya Roll Ball Federation president Samuel Litaba said they have not been able to book training sessions for the players at the smooth Kasarani Indoor Arena since the federation has no money.

“We need Sh8 million to successfully conduct our training locally and take the team to Bangladesh and back. Since we do not have the money, we are are making do with what is available,” said Litaba.

Litaba explained they had presented their budget to the Sports Ministry but there has been no response.

“Today, we have gone out of our way to book for the team the gymnasium for a two day training and we don’t know what will happen after the session ends on Friday,” Litaba said.

Kenya plans to take a squad of 24 players(12 women and similar number of men) to the Bangladesh World Cup, including four officials-two coaches, federation President and the Team Manager.

The men’s team, who also are the continental and regional champions is coached by Jared Onyango. The women’s side, the reigning champions is coached by Jacob Nyaudo.

Both sides earned their East Africa titles in 2014 when the regional tournament was held in Rwanda before successfully defending the titles a year later in Kenya.

They became continental champions last year in Uganda before the teams proceeded for World Cup in India where the women’s team won with the men’s finishing fourth.

Kenya first had a stint at the World Cup in 2013 which the country hosted.The women’s side emerged runners up while men bagged fourth place.