Rwandan Sitting Volleyball players and the wider Paralympic community are mourning the passing of Peter Karreman, the former national team coach who died on Tuesday at the age of 68.
The Dutchman is remembered as a pioneering figure who transformed sitting volleyball in Rwanda during his tenure, which began in 2008. Under his leadership, Rwanda made historic breakthroughs on the global stage.
He guided the men’s national team to qualify for the London 2012 Paralympic Games, making Rwanda the first Sub-Saharan African nation to compete in sitting volleyball at the Paralympics. He later led the women’s team to the Rio 2016 Paralympics, where they became the first African women’s team in the sport — a legacy that continued through the Paris 2024 Games.
National Paralympic Committee (NPC) President Dominique Bizimana, who captained the men’s team at London 2012 under Karreman’s leadership, paid tribute to his former coach.
"On behalf of NPC Rwanda, I am deeply saddened by the passing of Coach Peter Karreman. As his former team captain, I will always remember his dedication, passion, and belief in our athletes,” Bizimana said.
Karreman is widely credited with laying the foundation for Rwanda’s rise in Sitting Volleyball, nurturing talents such as Liliane Mukobwankawe and Callixte Twagirayezu, who today captain the women’s and men’s national teams respectively.
Mukobwankawe described the loss as heartbreaking.
"The world is deeply saddened by the passing of Peter Karreman. He was a passionate coach, mentor, and leader whose impact on Sitting Volleyball in Rwanda will be felt for generations,” she said.
For Twagirayezu Karreman’s contribution to Rwanda and to Paralympic sport will never be forgotten.
"My heartfelt condolences to his family. Peter, you will be missed.”
Before arriving in Rwanda, Karreman coached the Netherlands' sitting volleyball team from 2007 to 2009, leading them at two European Championships — Hungary 2007 and Poland 2009.
He later worked as an instructor for World ParaVolley (WPV) and became deeply involved in the WPV Coaches’ Commission as a tutor, mentor, and content developer, contributing to online coaching resources worldwide.
Most recently, he completed the book "Rwanda’s Road to Rio”, documenting his bold mission to build Rwanda’s first Paralympic-qualifying women’s sitting volleyball team from scratch — a journey that reshaped the sport in the country.
Karreman leaves behind a profound legacy in Rwanda and beyond, remembered as a visionary whose devotion to the sport transformed countless lives.
Click HERE to access the book.