Kenya Basketball, football sides earn tickets to Deaflympics

Kenya basketball men’s and women’s teams and the women’s football team will represent the African continent in the 24th Summer Deaflympics set for 1 to 15 May in Caxias do Sul, Brazil. 

The three teams have qualified for the global event after teams that had registered to feature in the Africa Deaf Ball Games Qualifiers in Nairobi were a no-show. 

The basketball championship was set for 17 to 24 Septembe. The national federation held a team selection tournament on 27 and 28 from where 19 players were selected for both the men's and women's teams.

After three weeks of residential training in the lead up to the qualifiers, the teams just played a friendly match amongst themselves, while the women's team also face University of Nairobi (UoN) Dynamites in a friendly match as well. 

"We are breaking camp on Saturday and we are likely to resume in March to begin preparations for the Deaflympics. 

For now, the players are expected to keep training in their respective teams and county leagues. Not having a national league is a challenge as that means we cannot follow the players' training. We will need more time to prepare the team next year. That is why we are looking at getting in camp early," said the basketball men's team head coach Charles Goro. 

 The Africa men’s football representative will be known after final match pitting Senegal against Mali. The all-West African final will kick off at Moi International Sports Centre, Kasarani at 3pm on Saturday 25 September.

The Kenya Women’s football deaf team “A” and “B” sides will play an exhibition match at 1pm as a curtain-raiser to the much-anticipated final.

Deaflympics Football Technical Director Panagiotis Kardonorisuus confirmed Kenya’s direct qualification in women’s football.

“I wish to confirm that Kenya women’s team will play in the Deaflympics next year because we only had one team in Nairobi. I urge them to continue training hard and ensure they are in the best possible shape well in time for next year. I wish to also urge the authorities involved to exercise gender equality by supporting both men’s and women’s teams in their preparations for the Games,” Kardonorisuus said.

Jürgen Endress, the Deaf International Basketball Federation (DIBF) Secretary General who is in Nairobi for the Qualifiers said 4 men's and 2 women's teams from Ghana, Mozambique, Rwanda and Kenya had been invited.

Endress who is also the ICSD Technical Director Basketball said: “Unfortunately, all countries, except Kenya, couldn’t enter teams to the qualifiers and pulled out at the eleventh hour for various reasons. I wish to announce that female and male basketball teams from Kenya are automatically qualified for Deaflympics 2021 in Brazil.”

Meanwhile, Egypt finished third after beating Cameroon 2-0 in the third-place play off.

Amir Elshir Beny put the North Africans ahead in the 68th minute before Amir Eldana sealed the scoreline in the nick of time.

Egypt lost to Mali in the second semi while Senegal defeated Cameroon in the first semi at Kasarani on Wednesday.