Kenya Airways on the verge of KVF league withdrawal
Kenya Airways is on the verge of pulling out of the Kenya Volleyball Federation (KVF) men’s league.
The top flight club is yet to honour any competitive assignment this term, owing to a delay by the team sponsors delay in approving the Sh 3 million annual budget, according to the outfit’s team manager Joseph Korir.
“Our players are still training to keep fit because we remain hopeful that the situation might change and we will be able to compete. But in the worst case scenario where there are no funds, I will disband the team and allow these players to showcase their talents elsewhere,” Korir told Nairobi News.
The three year old Nairobi based club missed the first leg of the league in Nakuru County last month, and Korir has already confirmed that there is “no chance” the team will play in the second leg fixtures set for Malaba this weekend.
Kenya Airways finished in fifth place in the 16 team men league in the past two seasons. The team also won the highly coveted AMACO Volleyball tournament in 2013.
YOUNG TEAM
Kenya Airways withdrawal further underlines the dwindling corporate confidence in sports activities, coming a week after two blue chip companies; Safaricom and Mumias Sugar, both confirmed their withdrawal from bankrolling sports activities.
Incidentally, another highly rated club, six-time Africa champions Kenya Prisons ladies team – failed to honour its continental obligations in Cairo this week, following a delay by the Government to process the necessary funds.
Meanwhile, Nairobi Water men’s team will debut in the top flight this weekend, with two tricky fixtures against mid-table sides Administration Police and Oserian.
“We have recruited a young team and our aim is to test the waters in readiness to dominate in 2016,” Nairobi Water Sports Coordinator Mary Musau told Nairobi News.
Other debutants Bungoma County will play Kenya Defence Forces (KDF) and Forest Rangers in the men’s league.
Kenya Pipeline and Kenya Commercial Bank (KCB) will miss out on their engagements in the women league as both teams are currently featuring in the Women Africa Club Championships in Egypt.
Selected fixtures – Men: Nairobi Water v APK, GSU v Oserian, Co-op Bank v Prisons Kenya, Bungoma County v Forest Rangers, KDF v Mount Kenya University (MKU), Prisons Mombasa v Vihiga County, KPA v Finlays, Nairobi Water v Oserian, Coop Bank v Vihiga County, MKU v Prisons Kenya, Bungoma v KDF, Forest Rangers v Prisons Kakamega, Prisons Mombasa v Administration Police.
Women: Nairobi Water v KDF, Kenya Academy v Oserian, Nairobi Queens v MKU, Nairobi Water v Kenya Academy, Oserian v Bungoma County, KDF v Nairobi Queens.