Confusion over the participation of outside hitter Dennis Ireke at the ongoing 47th edition of the CAVB Men’s Volleyball Club Championship has been cleared, with sources confirming that he remains officially registered under APR Volleyball Club. Speculation had emerged earlier suggesting that Ireke would turn out for Kenya Port Authority (KPA), with reports claiming the Kenyan side had bolstered their squad by signing him from Kenya Prisons VC. However, records from the FIVB’s Volleyball Information System (VIS) confirm that Ireke has been an APR player since November 2025 and is officially registered with the Rwandan army side for the continental tournament. Under FIVB regulations, players are eligible to compete only for the club they are registered with in the system. A source close to APR told Times Sport that an agreement had allowed Ireke to briefly return to Kenya to represent his home club, Kenya Prisons VC. The arrangement, however, required him to rejoin APR in time for the African Club Championship. The situation appeared to escalate when reports claimed that Ireke had arrived in Kigali but would not feature for APR, instead linking up with KPA. This fueled speculation that the Kenyan club had secured him on loan for the competition. Those claims were effectively dispelled when KPA faced Faith Union Sports (FUS) in their opening match, with Ireke absent from the official squad list. Speaking after the game, KPA head coach Ontere James distanced himself from the issue, indicating that the matter was beyond his control. “I’m not in a good position to answer that. I’m supposed to use the players I was given. Missing out on Ireke was not in my control,” he said. Sources now indicate that Ireke is expected to link up with APR head coach Sammy Mulinge ahead of their second match of the tournament, having been given time to recover and settle following the off-court uncertainty.
