Volleyball: African Womens Clubs Championship rescheduled

The African Volleyball Confederation (CAVB) has rescheduled the annual Women’s African Volleyball Clubs Championship to start on April 19 to May 1 in Sousse, Tunisia.

The championship was earlier set for May 16 to 28 but CAVB announced Tuesday night that failure to secure waiver from FIVB to hold the event beyond the world governing body season that ends on May 2, necessitated their decision.

“Unfortunately, we failed to secure a waiver from the FIVB to hold our Clubs Championship beyond the FIVB Club season which ends on the 2nd of May 2021.

“On a positive note, the Tunisian Volleyball Federation has agreed to retain organisation of the Championship to be held from the 19th of April to the 1st of May 2021 in conformity with the FIVB Calendar,” read part of the CAVB statement.

Speaking hours after CAVB’s communication, Kenya Pipeline head coach Paul Gitau said the African bronze medalists have started their preparations and are awaiting final decision from the government and their parent company regarding their participation.

“We’ve been preparing for this championship so the date changes will not affect my squad. We’re waiting for the company and the government to announce the final decision on whether we will participate,” Gitau, who took over the Oilers last year, told Citizen Digital.

Kenya Pipeline, local league champions Kenya Prisons and KCB will fly the Kenyan flag in Tunisia during the 12-day event.

Prisons and the Bankers booked their slots after finishing first and second respectively during the 2019 season, while Pipeline will be in the list to defend their bronze medal they won in 2019 during the continental championship in Egypt.

The 2019 men’s league champions General Service Unit (GSU), runners up Kenya Ports Authority (KPA) and Kenya Prisons are set to represent Kenya in the Men’s Club Championship scheduled for April 16-28 also in Tunisia