Malkia Strikers can breathe a sigh of relief after their dream of attending a High-Performance Training camp to prepare for the World Championships came true.
On Sunday morning the distressed team boarded a Qatar Airline 15-hour flight to Brazil, putting an end to a two-week period of uncertainty.
The nine-time African champions’ trip to Sao Paulo for a two-month camp organized by the international volleyball governing body (FIVB).
The event, a first for the Kenyans, had been marred by uncertainty after the government refused to facilitate their travel logistics.
The cash-strapped team, which was due to leave the country on June 18, was bailed out by a gaming firm.
Mozzart Bet pumped Sh.10 million into their Sh.46 million budget, while the Ministry of Sports provided air tickets.
The contingent of 16 players and two coaches, however, left the country without assurances of their allowances during the training camps in Brazil and Serbia as well as during the championship.
The competition is set to be co-hosted by the Netherlands and Poland from September 23 to October 15.
Head coach Paul Bitok will lead the team in Brazil, along with four Brazilian coaches led by Luizomar de Moura, who have been seconded to Kenya by the International Volleyball Federation (FIVB) as part of the Volleyball Empowerment Programme.
Kenya Volleyball Federation (KVF) deputy president Charles Nyaberi, who was present at the airport to greet the team, stated that the KVF will continue to press the government to pay the allowances for players.
