Rwanda volleyball teams (women and men) will miss the upcoming African Olympic qualifiers, the Rwanda Volleyball Federation president, Gustave Nkurunziza, has said.

Cameroon was chosen by African Volleyball Confederation (CAVB) to host the women’s African Olympic Qualifiers in Yaoundé in February 12-19, while Congo will host the men’s event which will run January 7-14, where the eventual champions will represent Africa next year in Rio de Janeiro in Brazil.

"We are not going to this event because it was not in our plans. We are concentrating on beach volleyball qualifiers where we have a lot of chances to reach Rio,” he added.

The women’s tourney will attract a record 17 countries including Algeria, Tunisia, Gambia, Cape Verde, Burkina Faso, Nigeria, Ghana, DR Congo, Cameroon, Gabon, Kenya, Egypt, Uganda, Mozambique, Zimbabwe, Botswana and Madagascar.

The men’s tournament will attract 22 national teams including Algeria, Tunisia, Gambia, Cape Verde, Mali, Burkina Faso, Nigeria, Ghana, Central Africa, Congo Brazzaville, DR Congo, Cameroon, Gabon, Kenya, Egypt, Sudan, Uganda, Angola, Mozambique, Zimbabwe, Botswana, and Madagascar.

Tunisia represented Africa at the 2012 London Olympics in the men’s category, while Algeria claimed the African Qualification tickets in the last two Olympics – in Beijing 2008 and London 2012.

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