•The team needs a total budget of Sh46.8 million inclusive of tickets and allowances for players, according to KVF with 23.6 million expected to cater for the Brazil tour.
•Bitok last week named a 20- member provisional squad composed mostly of players from KCB, Kenya Prisons, Kenya Pipeline and Kenya Defense Forces.
Image: COURTESY
Kenya could face sanctions from the Federation of International Volleyball should Malkia Strikers fail to honour the two-month High-Performance Training organized by the world body in Brazil starting June 20th.
The country risks an indefinite suspension besides being barred from participating in all international competitions.
So far, the government is non-committal on the team's travel with players in need of tickets and allowances with the trip on the verge of collapse.
The team needs a total budget of Sh46.8 million inclusive of tickets and allowances for players, according to KVF with 23.6 million expected to cater for the Brazil tour.
The 10-day stop in Serbia will be taken care of by betting firm, Mozzartbet who entered a 10 million deal. Kenya will play matches with the hosts and Colombia for the period before proceeding to Poland.
"The consequences are dire. If we miss the Brazil tour, we might kiss goodbye to any future competitions. We may not also receive any material or financial support from FIVB," Charles Nyaberi, the Kenya Volleyball Federation vice-chairman hinted while addressing a press conference at Kasarani.
He added: "The hopes of the players have been dashed. Kenya is the only African team selected by FIVB for the sponsorship because our track record speaks for itself. We pride ourselves on having top individual players who have done the country proud. We hope the government can work within their means to provide the players with the tickets and allowances needed as FIVB have done their part."
Malkia coach Paul Bitok pleaded with President Uhuru Kenyatta to come to their rescue.
"I hope President Uhuru will hear our cry. He has always come through for us and we hope he will do it again. The girls are ready anytime they are called upon but it will be a sad moment for the players to miss this rare opportunity."
Bitok noted that it will be unfortunate for the journey they started in Tokyo, through to the continental qualifiers to be reduced to ashes.
"There's a likelihood we might not go to Poland for the quadrennial event. It's not official though but rumour has it that the government only has funds for the Commonwealth Games. The World Championship is a high-magnitude event that we feel will help our players a great deal. "
The former decade-long-serving Rwanda coach did not name the final squad as expected, insisting that there are no parameters to trim the squad considering players have only been in training for a week.
He said it was premature to name the final team with the competition more than three months away.
Bitok last week named a 20- member provisional squad composed mostly of players from KCB, Kenya Prisons, Kenya Pipeline and Kenya Defense Forces.
"I cannot whittle down the squad to 16 or 14, three months to the championship. That will be unprofessional."
Vice-captain Noel Murambi added:"We have had massive support from the government in the past. We know there are Commonwealth Games while politics have also divided the attention but we appeal to the president to help us in our hour of need."