For the second time, Rwanda will be playing host to the Seat Ball World Cup next month. Rwanda was selected as the host after staging the games successfully in 2006. Eight teams have confirmed participation in the event.

Celestin Nzeyimana, the Secretary General for the National Paralympics Committee for Rwanda (NPC-Rwanda), the official organizers yesterday said that the number was unlikely to change.

"Recently, Austria pulled out due to financial hiccups leaving us with eight teams and we don’t expect any further entrants or exits,” Nzeyimana noted.

However, some sources have revealed that the Ugandan team could pull out due to financial constraints.The source said that Uganda’s Paralympics task force lacks funds to equip the team with jerseys among other necessities to compete.

The World Cup runs from November 7-8 and will be jointly staged at the NPC Gymnasium and Amahoro’s indoor stadium.

Teams that have confirmed their participation include; Team Rwanda A, Team Rwanda B, Burundi, Uganda, DR Congo, Switzerland and two Germany teams (BSG Emmelshausen and  VSG Pforzheim) It is the second time that Rwanda is staging the world event having held a similar one in 2006 where Team Rwanda A scooped bronze.

In a related development, African teams have received a huge financial boost from Human help network, a Germany company.

According to Nzeyimana, the company has offered to foot the team’s accommodation costs during the tournament. However, NPC-Rwanda is still working round the clock to raise Frw 20m to stage a successful tournament.

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