Rwanda volleyball national team head coach Paul Bitok has urged the local governing body and clubs to do everything possible not to miss the annual Africa Club Championships.

This comes after Rwandan clubs failed to take part in African championships for two consecutive tournaments. Last year APR missed, while this year, it was UR-Huye men’s team, who missed, both citing financial constraints.

"It’s unfortunate that Rwanda has missed African club championship for two years. I request the federation and clubs to get a solution urgently because we need players to compete at that level to get experience.” Bitok said before adding, "Our neighbours Uganda (Nemo Stars), Kenya Prison and GSU participate every year but for us we are missing that chance.”

Twenty-one teams are taking part in this year’s African Club Championships, which started yesterday in Sousse Tunisia.  The 21 teams are divided into four preliminary pools with Pools A, B and D featuring five teams and Pool C six teams.

In group A organizers, Etoile du Sahel of Tunisia were drawn along with Nahda (Sudan), Ittihad Taangier (Morocco), Borj Bou Arririj (Algeria) and Bafia (Cameroon).

Defending champions Sfax of Tunisia will battle it out with Autoridade (Mozambique), Stif (Algeria), Ettihad Misurata (Libya), Espoir (DRC).

 Pool C includes Esperance, GSU (Kenya), Nemo Stars (Uganda), Mughrer Cement (Ethiopia), Port (Cameroon), and Ahly Beni Ghazi (Libya).

Group D Ahly Tripoli (Libya), Ahly of Egypt (6 titles), FAP (Cameroon), Prisons (Kenya) and Beau Vallon (Seychelles).

The annual CAVB competition acts as a qualifier for the FIVB Club World Championship to be held in Brazil from May 6 to 11.