Rayon Sports association has reached a five-year deal with StarTimes under which the latter will sponsor Rayon Sports Volleyball Club to the tune of US$40,000 (about Rwf30 million) a year.

According to Vedaste Kimenyi, the vice president of Rayon Sports association, the Chinese firm will provide jerseys for the team, while it will largely benefit through branding.

"We want to build the strong team. We will be inviting teams from outside of Rwanda to play with our teams like we recently did in football, the view is to elevate the level of our game in the various sports disciplines with involved in,” he said.

"Our players do not have to wait for the opportunity to play in continental championships to get international experience.”

He added, "The sponsorship deal will help our team to be more competitive and also help us to get the players we want, we also want to use part of the money to nurture young talent across the country.”

Rayon Sports association oversees both Rayon Sports football club and the volleyball club and they have said they are keen on forming teams in other disciplines, including cycling and basketball.

Rayon Sports volleyball club was founded two years ago and is coached by former National University of Rwanda head coach Fidele ‘Fidjo’Nyirimana, assisted by Jean de Dieu ‘Castar’ Bagirishya.

The team has since lost key players including Nelson Murangwa who recently signed for the Danish second division league side Middelfart Volleyball Club, and Fred Musoni, who joined Finland’s first division side Liiga Riento earlier this year.

Volleyball league is will return in February.

In the last season, Rayon Sports finished in second position behind champions Institute of Agriculture, Technology and Education of Kibungo (INATEK).

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