adminEllina Mhlanga Sports Reporter
ZIMBABWE will now field three teams in the upcoming Africa Cup of Club Champions, to be hosted by this country, scheduled for November 22 to 30 after Scorpions pulled out.
Earlier, there were indications that Zimbabwe will have four teams competing with Eradicators and Hippo Valley Hockey Club in the men’s category while Scorpions from Harare and Bulawayo Athletic Club were scheduled to battle it out in the women’s section.
However, Hockey Association of Zimbabwe vice-president, Humphrey Chigwedere, revealed that Scorpions and two other Zambian teams had withdrawn.
“Scorpions have pulled out because of pressing work commitments. Most of their players are full-time workers and some are school children currently writing their exams and the tournament is for one-week meaning they will have to take one-week off.
“There will only be one women’s team, there will be no replacements.
“Hippo Valley are already stepping up their preparations for the event.
“There are two Zambian teams that have also pulled out but we do not know their reasons,” said Chigwedere.
Chigwedere said the rest of the preparations were going as planned.
This year’s edition is expected to feature 20 teams from Egypt, Ghana, Kenya, Malawi, Nigeria, Tanzania, Zambia and Zimbabwe.
“Our preparations, in terms of the Local Organising Committee, are going on very well,” said Chigwedere.
“All the bookings have been done for the officials that are coming and we are ready to host the event.
“What we are waiting for are the fixtures, they come from Africa Hockey Federation. We are hoping to have them by Friday (today) before the executive meeting on Saturday to give each other tasks.
“As of now we have 20 teams that are coming. In 2012 we had eight teams but this time it’s going to be a bigger event.
“As usual, the men’s category is going to be tough because we have strong sides coming.”
The national association have already put in place a Local Organising Committee led by David De Swardt, who is the Bulawayo Hockey Board president, to spearhead the preparations for the competition.
Teams
Men: Hippo Valley (Zimbabwe”, Eradicators (Zimbabwe), Lusaka Sharks (Zambia), Genetrix Hockey Club (Malawi), Trustees (Ghana), Ghana Police (Ghana), Sharkia (Egypt), Police (Egypt), Union Bank (Nigeria), Police Machines (Nigeria).
Women: BAC (Zimbabwe), Lusaka Sharks (Zambia), Genetrix Hockey Club (Malawi), Ghana Police (Ghana), Heartlands Flickers (Nigeria), Plateau Queens (Nigeria), Sharkia (Egypt), Shams (Egypt), Orange (Kenya), Strathmore (Kenya), Twende (Tanzania).
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