U-21 team rule out KAVC memorial tourney

THE National Under 21 national volleyball team has ruled out taking part in the 17th edition of the Kampala Amateur Volleyball (KAVC) Founders’ Memorial International Tournament scheduled for August 10-11 in Kampala, Uganda. The national team head coach Paul Bitok said yesterday that by the time of the KAVC tourney, the national team will be in Instabul warming up for the 2013 FIVB Men’s U21 World Championship set to be held from August 22 to September 1 in Ankara and Izmir, Turkey. “We wanted to use the KAVC competition as a warm-up event ahead of the World Championship but since we will head to Instabul to acclimatise, we find it impossible to avail ourselves for the regional tournament,” added Bitok. Meanwhile, the local volleyball federation is finding it difficult to secure friendly matches for the national team in Holland and France, according to FRVB Technical Director Christian Hatumimana. Rwanda, Africa’s bronze medalists are drawn in Pool C alongside fellow African side Tunisia, Serbia, US and Canada, and the matches will be played in Ataturk Sports Hall in Izmir. African champions and silver medalists Egypt and Morocco are drawn together in Pool A alongside with hosts Turkey, China and India, while Pool B is comprised of Argentina, Iran, Japan, Mexico and Estonia. Meanwhile the 17th edition of the Kampala Amateur Volleyball (KAVC) Founders’ Memorial International Tournament scheduled for August 10-11 in Kampala will attract four teams from Rwanda. Inatek, Kigali Volleyball Club, APR, and National University of Rwanda (NUR) are the Rwandan clubs confirmed to take part in the men’s category.