THE National Paralympic Committee (NPC) has turned to Netherlands’ Jouke de Haan to handle the national sitting volleyball team at the upcoming World Cup qualifiers in Kigali.

The experienced Dutch coach is said to have volunteered to handle the team although the Ministry of Sports and Culture has offered to foot his flight expenses, accommodation and meals while in Rwanda.

"Haan will not be paid for his services but the sports ministry will foot his flight expenses,  accomodation and feeding costs while in Rwanda,” the NPC-Rwanda president Dominique Bizimana said.

Haan has vast coaching experience after working with national sitting volleyball teams for Netherlands (1982-1992), German (1993-2003) and Egypt (2006-2008).

Bizimana has also commended Haan for his role in helping the national team secure sports kit and jerseys from Nijha, a Dutch company.

"With Haan in charge, Rwanda has more chances of fielding more athletes in future Paralympic games including the 2012 Paralympic Games,” Bizimana said.

The world cup qualifiers, also dubbed as ‘First open sitting volleyball’ are set to attract teams from Kenya, Burundi, Tanzania and Egypt.

The top two teams at the end of the one-week event will earn automatic slots at the Sitting Volleyball World Cup slated for November in USA.

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