NAIROBI, Kenya, Nov 27 – Kenya national sevens team player Willy Ambaka says the national team can no longer perform under the strenuous conditions they have been subjected to as they prepare for the Dubai Sevens.
In a series of tweets on Sunday morning, Ambaka revealed that they have gone for three months without pay and are struggling to get themselves ready for next week’s competition as well as the Cape Town leg on December 9-11.
“It is a combination of factors (Making it difficult for us to prepare for the Dubai Sevens). We need proper nutrition as well as training. Among us we have different people with different needs…we have those who need to pay rent…there are those who need to pay for school fees and we have all persevered for so long,” Ambaka said.
In his tweets on Sunday, the Menengai Oilers man made a public appeal for assistance for the national team to fulfill their obligations of flying the national flag high.
Ambaka said the response is thus far positive and is hopeful the situation will be resuscitated sooner, rather than later.
“Going by the replies on the tweets, the responses have been largely positive. I have received a number of verbal responses, which hopeful will translate into action. Everybody is indeed backing the M-Changa initiative and we hope for the best,” he said.
He added: “I would not like to point fingers at any body. All I am simply doing is stand up for the team so we can get what is due to us.”
The latest turn of events follows on from the tribulations of the national 15s team, who reportedly, briefly, downed their tools ahead of their final Rugby World Cup qualifier match against Hong Kong in Dubai.
Paul Odera’s charges eventually lost all their matches in the Repechage tournament – to USA, Portugal and Hong Kong – and effectively kissed goodbye to their chances of a first-ever appearance at the global showpiece in France, next year.
Shujaa are due to face in-form Australia, Great Britain and South Africa, hoping to rectify their disaster-class at their last appearance at the Hong Kong Sevens where they lost all their matches.