RWANDA Athletics Federation (RAF) says local athletes face an uncertain future as support for the sport continues to be scarce. The disclosure was made by Fidele Mubiligi, the federation’s president, after it emerged that local athletes were struggling to get support to be able to participate in competitions in which Rwanda was invited. For instance, Mubiligi said, Rwanda Athletics Federation has so far received invitations to participate at six different competitions. However, the federation has not confirmed to participate at any of the events due to lack of funds to facilitate athletes aspiring to take part. Some of the competitions that Rwandan athletes were invited to compete in include the African Athletics Championship which will take place in Algiers in June, Eastern African Championship and Junior African Championship slated in Kenya in April, among others. “We haven’t confirmed our participation in any of the competitions because we don’t have the means to cater for our athletes during their participation. We wrote to the Ministry of sports requesting support for them but we haven’t heard a word from the Ministry,” Mubiligi told Times Sport. “Athletics is a sport which doesn’t require a lot of money but we don’t know why support has not been forthcoming. In the end, we are always asked why our athletes don’t deliver medals. All these competitions can surely help some of our athletes earn qualification for the Tokyo Games but they can’t compete because we have no means,” he added. With five months to the 2020 Olympic Games, Rwandan athletes’ hopes to secure qualification to represent the country at the games are in jeopardy due to failure to get competitions in which they can get qualification. Some athletes who spoke to Times Sport said that competitions remain a big challenge for them to get required minima standards to qualify for the Tokyo 2020 Games. For athletes targeting a qualification in the Olympic Games, Mubiligi said his federation prepared a training programme for them alongside the budget needed for preparations and was later shared with both the Ministry of Sports and the Olympic Committee. However, efforts to get feedback were futile. “We were expecting to hear available financing from them even if it does not cover the required budget. If any amount had been availed, our technical team could have adjusted the programme in line with available funds,” he claimed. He added that, although the Olympic Committee provided some money to athletes, they couldn’t clarify what the money would serve as reference to the proposed budget for athletes. “All this is because there is no room for discussion,” he claimed. Due to lack of financing and sustainable support, Mubiligi said some athletes have decided to quit while others ended up staying in countries in which they had gone for competitions. “Where do you expect an athlete would end up if he spends a year without participating in a single competition? Some change their minds and find other careers while others stay in countries hosting the competitions in which they go to participate,” he claimed. The Athletics Federation is among sports organizations that depend on the Ministry of Sports’ funding and little sponsorship from its major partners like MTN and Bank of Kigali. Didier Maboko Shema, the Permanent Secretary at the Ministry of Sports, told Times Sport that the Ministry’s technical department is working with the Athletics Federation to assess which competitions can benefit Rwandan athletes, especially those who are targeting a ticket to go to the Olympic Games. “We need to be realistic. If no competitions were organised on the national level, what are athletes competing for at the continental level? If the competition can help an athlete to qualify for the Olympic Games we are ready to facilitate athletes but on condition that athletes’ times aren’t far from the required minima standards,” Shema said. “Whether athletes will compete at a competition or not, will depend on our assessment. If it’s a friendly competition, there is little chance yet there are others who need competitions seeking qualification for the Olympic Games,” he added.
