Protesting Kenyan players out of World Cup
NEWS: Kenya’s preparations for next month’s World Cup Sevens have been thrown into disarray by the government withdrawing its 20 million shilling (US$189,000) sponsorship of the team.
The decision was retaliation for a public protest against unpaid salaries last week during the final leg of the Sevens World Series in Paris, when national team players hid the ‘Brand Kenya’ logo on their shirts.
The sponsorship withdrawal has thrown the cash-strapped Kenya Rugby Union into disarray with head coach, Innocent Simiyu being sacked and top officials going into a crisis meeting Friday to seek a new sponsor ahead of next month’s World Cup.
Simiyu said it has been “a great honour” to coach Kenya’s Sevens team.
The World Cup Sevens – involving 24 teams – will take place in San Francisco, United States, from July 20 to 22.
Kenya has twice reached the semifinals of the tournament in 2009 and 2013 in Dubai and Moscow respectively.
