As sports federations struggle to resume tournaments due to either financial constraints or delays to getting ready to compete in line with the government’s guidelines against Covid-19, some players will struggle for fitness as they prepare to qualify for the 2020 Tokyo Games scheduled from 23 July to 8 August next year.
A number of players who are targeting qualification for the games have not started training, something that could risk their chances for qualification to the 2021 Olympic Games.
Beach Volleyball, cycling and athletics are among games whose players are waiting to resume training in January seeking qualification or preparing for next year’s Olympic Games.
Olivier Ntagengwa, the men’s Beach Volleyball team captain said delays in resuming training will hamper the team’s chances of qualifying if players don’t resume training as a team soon.
"Look, everyone is stranded training alone as we wait to reunite and train as a team. We will need time to adapt to normal playing conditions after almost a year without tournaments. We will need to work hard to qualify for the Tokyo Games. Otherwise, the pandemic has hampered our preparations,” he said.
However, Festus Bizimana, the Vice-President of Rwanda National Olympic Committee allayed fears of lack of better preparations as the Olympic Committee decided to take charge of them and facilitate their training until they head to the Olympic Games.
Through lobbying to the International Olympic Committee, Bizimana revealed RNOSC raised over Rwf 110 million to ensure better preparations for players/teams ahead of the 2020 Olympic Games.
Of the funds, 60,000 dollars were allocated to facilitate two middle-distance runners James Sugira and Marthe Yankurije to earn Olympic minima in 10,000m category as well as helping three cyclists Joseph Areruya, Didier Munyaneza and Samuel Mugisha to pursue trainings at the International Union of Cycling (UCI) high performance training Centre, in the Swiss city of Aigle.
Through the same funds, athletes John Hakizimana and Felicien Muhitira, who both qualified to participate in the 2020 Tokyo Games were given Rwf 4 million each to spend in their preparations.
Meanwhile, the Beach Volleyball teams, men and women, were also given a combined Rwf 44 million to prepare for qualifications to the 2020 Tokyo Games.
The Women Volleyball team was given Rwf 30 million while the men’s team got Rwf 14 million in the process.
In addition, through the National Paralympic Committee (NPC), both Hermas Muvunyi and Claudine Uwitije were given Rwf 1 million each to spend in their preparations.
The biggest amount allocated in the preparations of the players was raised so that the Covid-19 does not stop them from undergoing tough and better preparations for qualifications to the 2020 Tokyo Games.
Sports federations struggling to recover
Last month, Rwanda Cricket Association (RCA) announced that it was organising an ‘Elite League’ for top Cricket players as hopes for the start of new season hang in balance.
The mini-league comes as the Association’s best option after it pronounced itself ‘not ready yet’ to start the new season as Cricket teams in all divisions continue to struggle with financial difficulties impacted by Covid-19.
As financial means remain a challenge for the teams, the Association decided to delay the start of the new season and opted, in the meantime, to organise a league for Elite players to freshen their fitness after being out of action for almost a year.
The Cricket league is among a number of sports tournaments waiting for the Sports Ministry’s approval and green light to resume, alongside Basketball, Volleyball, Rugby, Handball and Golf among others.
"We are organizing this small league to keep our players in good shape because we are not sure yet when the cricket season will start,” said RCA President, Eddie Balaba Mugarura, in a recent interview with Times Sport.
Basketball is another sport whose major events were put on a halt where, except the National league playoffs, all other competitions were suspended due to the Covid-19 outbreak.
As a result, the NBA Junior league that was scheduled between July and August was cancelled while the U-18 National team, which was expected to take part in the U-18 FIBA Afro basket in August in Egypt, won’t be able to participate in the competition after they were rescheduled in December, when most of the players are at school.
According to the National Basketball Federation President Desire Mugwiza, over 80 per cent of what the federation projected to do last season was either postponed or cancelled.
"We would even have cancelled the National Basketball League if it hadn’t been for our league sponsors. Finishing the league was important to get a team that would represent the country in continental competitions,” Mugwiza said.
"Of course when there are no games/ competitions that means that there are no sponsors. And we may end up struggling to pay staff, and paying referees’ wages among other challenges,” he added.
Although the pandemic is not over yet, he said, it won’t stop the league new season to start in January as agreed with the federation’s club members during a recent general assembly.
Although helping federations is in the Sports Ministry’s responsibilities, Bizimana revealed that some federations were able to benefit from the International Olympic Committee’s relief funds to mitigate the financial impact of Covid-19 in sports.