Financial constraints in the national boxing governing body, Raba have delayed the national team’s preparations ahead of the first qualifier of the Africa Olympic qualifiers scheduled to run from January 22-31 in Algiers, Algeria.

Raba technical director Gashugi Kananura, who also doubles as the national team trainer told Times Sport yesterday that technically, he is prepared to start training but pointed out that financial constraints were delaying the preparations.

"Technically we are prepared to make the selection for the Olympics but we don’t have money to facilitate the training. We (Raba) are still waiting for RNOC’s intervention,” Gashugi said.

Gashugi noted that they (Raba) are still waiting for a response from the National Olympics Committee, which he said is expected before the end of this week and then starts residential training next week. Meanwhile, 19 boxers have been summoned to start residential training once the money for the preparations is got.  Of the 19, eight would make the final team that heads to Algiers for the first qualifier and the second scheduled for March 23-April 2 in Windhoek, Namibia.

The international boxing governing body, AIBA has prepared qualifiers for each of its members- America, Africa, Asia, Europe and Oceania, in which each continent will host two qualifiers.

With African continent entitled to take 60 boxers to this year’s Olympic Games, Rwanda is focused at securing qualification from the two continental qualifying rounds. No Rwandan boxer has ever qualified for the Olympic Games but Gashugi is confident that could be achieved this time around for the Beijing Games slated for August 8- 24.
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