RWANDA’S football governing body, Ferwafa has named a provisional 24-man team for next month’s Francophone Games.

The games, played every four years will be hosted in Beirut, Lebanon from September 27-October 6.

The U-20 team under the tutelage of Tomislav Obradovic started residential training yesterday at Ferwafa’s artificial turf.

The junior wasps will open their campaign with a stern test against Mali on September 27 before playing West African giants Senegal and Egypt on September 28 and September 30 respectively.

Away from football, Rwanda is also set to compete in table tennis and athletics.

The table-tennis team includes Steven Sibomana and Fotanine Mukamuhizi while Rwanda’s long distance ace Dieudonne Disi is expected to lead out a strong eight-man athletics team.

The athletics list includes Sylvain Rukundo (10000m), Godfrey Rutayisire (5000m), Felix Ntirenganya (Full Marathon), two-time Olympian Epiphanie Nyirabarame (Full Marathon), Claudette Mukasakindi (10000m), Jackline Murekatete (5000m) and Jean d’Arc Uwamahoro (800m).

Disi hopes to relocate to France for intensive training as he plots to defend his 10,000m gold medal he won when the games where staged in Niger in 2005. The 28-year-old also scooped bronze in 5,000m.

Other countries expected to make an appearance in Beirut include Armenia, Benin, Bulgaria, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Cameroon, Canada, Ivory Coast, Cyprus, Belgium, DR Congo, Djibouti, Republic of Yugoslavia and Macedonia, France, Gabon, Greece, Equatorial Guinea, Guinea Bissau, Haiti, Luxembourg, Morocco, Mauritius, Monaco, Mozambique, Niger, Romania, Seychelles, Switzerland, Togo, Tunisia and Vietnam.

Amavubi U-20 team: Juma Nsaganira, Emery Mvuyekure, Jean Claude Nshimiyimana, Arafat Serugendo, Egide Twizeyimana, Anwar Kibaya, Eric Habimana, Christian Bonfils Twahirwa, Amani Uwilingiyimana, Ismail Habumugisha, Ghad Mwizerwa, Yussuf Ndayishimiye, Abdul Karim Gashugi, Michael Hitimana, Jamal Mwiseneza, Ernest Kwizera, Herman Ngoma, Eric Serugaba, Emmanuel Sebanani, Tumaine Ntamuhanga, Yussuf Habimana, Jean Claude Iranzi, Aboubakar Nshimiyimana and Jean Paul Mutabazi.

Ends