Tanzania’s participation in the Africa Zone-5 basketball tournament hangs in balance after reports that the Tanzania Basketball Federation (TBF) has failed to secure funds to prepare the teams (men and women).

The ten-day regional tournament that will be staged at Kigali’s Amahoro Indoor stadium,  throws off on February 23 and is expected to bring together men and women teams from Egypt, Kenya, Uganda, Ethiopia, Eritrea, Sudan, Burundi, Somalia, Zanzibar and hosts Rwanda.

The federation’s secretary general Lawrence Cheyo was quoted on the Fiba-Africa website saying that the Tanzanian teams (men and women) were supposed to have started training, but failed to assemble due to lack of funds.

"The federation had initially drawn a training budget for the two teams of 20 players in each, plus four coaches, but the plan could not take off the ground,” he said.

According to the federation, the team needs about TShs 45m (approx. Frw 23m) for the tournament.

"We still hope that well wishers and supporters will donate funds to enable us travel to Kigali despite the fact that we are behind the proposed training schedule,” he added.

The training schedule had to see the teams re-group for non-residential camps for 14 days at the National Indoor Stadium in Dar es Salaam.

The teams would then proceed for a two-week residential camp at the same venue before heading to Kigali.

Tanzania did not take part in the last Zone 5 championship edition which was held in Kigali two years ago.

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