No incentives for winning medals – NPC

Whereas other countries stake big cash incentives for their athletes to win Olympics and Paralympics medals, there is no such cash motivation for the Rwandan team going for the 2012 London Paralympics Games.

Friday, August 10, 2012

Whereas other countries stake big cash incentives for their athletes to win Olympics and Paralympics medals, there is no such cash motivation for the Rwandan team going for the 2012 London Paralympics Games.The delegation jets out of the country this evening aboard SN Brussels for London where they will have a two-week training camp at Bury St. Edmunds before joining the Paralympics Games village.Rwanda is sending 14 athletes, including 11 sitting volleyball players, Hemans Muvunyi and Theoneste Nsengimana (athletics) and Theogne Hakizimana (power lifting)."The Ministry of Sports is the one responsible for such incentives and to the best of my knowledge, nothing has been pledged,” the president of the National Paralympics Committee, Dominique Bizimana, told Times Sport yesterday.Initially, the National Paralympics Committee Secretary General Celestin Nzeyimana, had told this paper that Rwanda is targeting to win at least three medals at the Games; however, his boss Bizimana says winning even one medal will represent a big achievement.The national sitting volleyball team will play two warm-up matches against Great Britain on August 13 and 19 before opening their campaign against defending champions Iran on August 30.Rwanda will then take on Brazil on August 31 before winding up their Group B matches against China on September 2. Group A has hosts Great Britain, Morocco, Russia, Germany and Egypt.Sitting volleyball teamEmile Cadet Vuningabo, Dominique Bizimana, John Bosco Ngizwenimana, Callixte Twagirayezu, Eric Ngirinshuti, Fidele Ntawiha, Fulgence Hagenimana, John Baptiste Gahamanyi, John Baptiste Murema, James Rutikanga, Vincent Tuyisenge, Jean Rukundo, J.de Dieu Bisangwa, Charles Ntagawa.