A number of clubs have threatened to withdraw from the ongoing 2021/22 Rwanda Premier League as they expressed their discontent on football governing body’s (Ferwafa) decision to request clubs regroup in camps for the league to resume Last week, the Ministry of Sports suspended competitions and shut down training grounds for a month, with sports minister Aurore Mimosa Munyangaju announcing that federations will be requested to present preventive guidelines to observe before competitions return. As a result, Ferwafa issued fresh preventive guidelines to member clubs during a consultative meeting held on Tuesday, January 4, before they are given all-clear to resume football activities, including the topflight league which was postponed after 11 match rounds. However, Times Sport understands that the majority of top tier clubs have protested against staying in residential camps citing financial reasons, with some considering withdrawing from the league as a result. Rayon Sports were the first to announce they would quit the league, as per a letter written to local football governing body on Wednesday, January 5, after expressing their concerns that they can’t afford to keep their squad in the camp during the course of the league campaign. “Yes we have written to Ferwafa that we are not ready to participate in the league; not because we don’t stand with preventive guidelines put in place to avoid the spread of the pandemic but because we are financially not ready to cover all expenses required to stay in a camp,” said club spokesperson, Jean Paul Nkurunziza. “Some teams have not suffered financially in the past two seasons because they are funded by government entities, which is not the case for us. We would need an extra budget of at least Rwf100 million to foot the camp bills and other accompanying expenses, where can we get that money?” he further claimed. This publication has also learned that Gasogi United is also on the brink of withdrawing from the league as long as Ferwafa shows no intention of changing the fresh measures communicated to member clubs. It is reported that clubs are avoiding staying in residential camps because they require costly expenses as per their experience last season, including taking charge of accommodation, food and transportation for players and technical staff of the team. Club proprietor, Charles Kakooza Nkuriza (KNC), claimed that he, like other clubs, does not understand why other sectors continue their activities as normal in line with the current Covid-19 preventive guidelines and things go different when it comes to the sports industry. Kakooza described ordering clubs to stay in residential camps as ‘strange’ yet they have been behaving well in complying with safety protocols during the league campaign so far. “If motorists can continue their job, if students are going to school why should our teams stay in residential camps, which is very costly, yet the players and club staff are vaccinated and regularly get tested?” said Kakooza. “It has been almost two seasons spending big to survive in this situation but if things continue this way, we are writing to Ferwafa for a possible temporary withdrawal from the league.”
