Kenya hockey trip to South Africa in doubt

Organisers of the 2020 Tokyo Olympic qualifiers have reached out to Kenya amid fears the country’s hockey team may fail to participate at the August 12-18 event in South Africa.

The Kenya Hockey Union chairman Nahashon Randiek says they are yet to firm up their travel plans and remain doubtful until they receive the government’s feedback over the matter.

The KHU and the Ministry of Sports held talks on Monday and will have subsequent meetings before the final decision on their travel plans is made.

“The hosts have been calling asking whether we are going or not. We keep changing dates because we cannot go to camp if we do not have money. It would have been better if we arrived at the camp a week earlier so that we can settle.

“We have had meetings with the ministry from Monday and we are still in talks, we are hopeful that by the end of this week we now be able to confirm our attendance for the Olympic qualifiers,” he told Citizen Digital.

The Qualifiers will mark the fourth edition of the African qualification tournament for the 2020 Tokyo Olympics and the winner of the tournament will represent the continent in next year’s Olympics Games.

Kenya men’s team have been placed in Pool A alongside Nigeria, South Africa and Uganda as Egypt, Ghana and Namibia form Pool B as Women’s national teams also battle the same nations as the men in the women’s qualifiers.

The men’s national team will kick off the qualifiers on August 12 as Kenya face neighbors Uganda at 1500H E.A.T before they face South Africa on August 14 at 2300H E.A.T before they wrap against Nigeria a day after at 2100H E.A.T.

The women are set to battle South Africa on August 14 at 1000H before they face Nigeria two days later at 2300H.