APR will not take part in the forthcoming Tusker Challenge Cup unless they are formally invited; club Secretary General Aime Kayinamura has confirmed.

Speaking to Times Sport yesterday about the tournament that is scheduled for December 15-27 at the National stadium in Dar es Salaam, Kayinamura said that the nine-time national league champions have never been invited to the tournament therefore, they don’t see the reason putting their team up for consideration.

"I have never seen any formal invitation requesting APR to take part in the Tusker Challenge Cup,” Kayinamura said.

However, official sponsors, Tanzania Breweries (TBL) and East Africa Breweries Limited (EABL), had earlier June indicated that they plan to invite the Rwandan record league winners with an aim of making the tournament more competitive.

Sponsorship worth TSH.300m (approx. Frw150m) has been injected in the tournament. Winners of this year’s will be warded TSH. 40m (approx. Frw20m), first and second runners-up will pocket TSH20m (approx. Frw10m) and TSH.10m (approx. Frw5m) respectively and the top scorer will be awarded TSH 3m (approx. Frw1.5m).

Sponsors will give two sets of sports gear and balls to every competing team. Each player will be given allowance of TSH20, 000 per day while officials will be given TSH30, 000 each.

Tusker Cup started in 2002 and ever since Simba have been winning it until last year when they pulled out thereby handing their arch-rivals, Yanga the chance to win it.

Local teams, Yanga, Simba, Prisons and Mtibwa Sugar will lead mainland Tazania’s hunt. Three other teams from Kenya, Uganda and Rwanda are yet to confirm their participation.

Ends