23 Jun 2020

Botswana’s three volleyball players plying their trade in Rwanda have recently had their contracts suspended.

Kutlwano Volleyball Club spokesperson, Tjiapo Madeluka said in an interview that they were aware of the latest development.

The move, he said meant that the players would not earn salaries, though they would remain with their respective teams until their contracts expire.

He said as the players did not sign the same contract, their suspension conditions were different.

“Gaoleseletse Gasekgonwe and Tshiamo Chakalisa’s contracts are different from Thapelo Kamberuka’s as theirs included scholarship for two years at the University of Tourism and Business Volleyball Club,” he said.

Though Chakalisa and Gasekgonwe would not be playing until September, he said they would continue with online classes and would remain in Rwanda, while Kamberuka, whose six months renewable contract was due to expire in July, was set to return home and wait for feedback from Kigali Volleyball Club.

Madeluka said the uncertainties brought about by the COVID-19 pandemic, had forced her to look for alternative ways of coming back home as she was currently not earning salary. 

“The only thing that took Kamberuka to Rwanda was to play for the club with hope that her performance will buy her more time there. 

Now the unforeseen has happened and we can only continue to hope for a better plan,” he said.

In an attempt to assist the players, he said he had met with Botswana Volleyball Federation (BVF) sports development officer to seek assistance, who promised to seek assistance through Ministry of Youth Empowerment, Sports and Culture Development.

“The pandemic is a wake-up call for us as club executive members. We have learnt that in future, players’ contracts should include unforeseen circumstances,” he said. 

He explained that since contracts did not include any plan for when there was any threat and in this case, health, there was nothing binding the clubs to keep supporting the players and paying them.

He however appreciated efforts made by the clubs to support the players by paying for their accommodation and giving them food parcels.

For his part, Federation International De Volleyball instructor, Shadrack Modiakgotla said their suspensions should not cause the players to despair, but to push them to work harder so that they could be able to get other contracts, even if it not in Rwanda.

“This was a very good opportunity  for Kamberuka to explore the world of volleyball and earn more stripes, as she is still young and vibrant,” he said.

Kamberuka said she was grateful that she had not contracted the virus, adding that her contract was to expire in July.

She said the first leg of the league, was supposed to end in July and the second leg was to start in September. “I am waiting for them to fill me in on the way forward,” she added.

The contents of Kamberuka’s letter are that since all sporting activities in the country have been put on hold, the team cannot continue to honour its engagements, hence the agreement she had with Kigali Volleyball team was suspended until further notice.

The letter also states that as the club does not have a way to let her come home because of the suspension of air traffic across the world, it will continue to support her with her minimum subsistence and accommodation until she returns home. ENDS