Rugby players next in line for Covid-19 jabs

Players who ply their trade in the Kenya Cup can afford a smile after the Rugby Union chairman Oduor Gangla confirmed that plans are underway to have them vaccinated in the course of the week.

Gangla revealed that his office had received a directive from the Ministry of Sports requesting for the list of players who are attached to Kenya Cup teams for both men and women.

He said, the top tier clubs were given priority alongside the national team players who include the U20, Chipu who are preparing for the Barthes Cup in June.

The Shujaa and Lionesses teams who are fresh from participating in the Emirates Invitational Sevens tournament are set to be vaccinated on Tuesday.

Gangla who expressed hope that the rest of players in the other tiers will be considered in the coming weeks disclosed that the union seeks to have the almost the 7500 players and officials under his umbrella inoculated as way of elbowing the virus out of the sport.

Last week, the union requested the government to allow them continue with their activities arguing that they had religiously followed all the laid down protocols and had realized meagre positive returns from the mandatory tests conducted before match days.

"We have been engaging the ministry and on Saturday, they sent us a communication directing us to prepare a list of players who feature in the Kenya Cup and the national teams. It is our hope that the players will be vaccinated in the course of the week. We are also looking to have players from the other tiers vaccinated. Cumulatively, the rugby family has around 7500 players and officials whom we are anticipating they will receive the jab  ," he revealed.

On Saturday, the eleven Nairobi Clubs which are part of the Football Kenya Federation Premier League received the vaccines while the national women's team, Harambee Starlets players received the jabs on Friday last week.