By Emily Goddard

Uganda has withdrawn from hosting the African women's Sitting Volleyball World Championship qualifying tournamentOctober 30 - Uganda has pulled out of hosting the 2013 African women's Sitting Volleyball World Championship qualifying tournament after it failed to secure the funds needed to hold the event in Kampala next week.

The postponement of the event, scheduled for November 4 until 11, could mean that no African women's teams make it to the World Championships in Poland in June next year and, ultimately, Rio 2016.

However, the World Organisation for Volleyball for the Disabled (WOVD) is said to be in talks with Egypt and Rwanda with a view to rescheduling the African qualifiers for April.

"I was given assurance that the first Para Volleyball Women Championships will receive the support from the Government and other organisations," WOVD sports director Denis Le Breuilly said in a letter to Uganda's Sports Minister Charles Bakkabulindi.

"On that basis, the event was awarded to Uganda and duly publicised worldwide.

"At this stage we have no officials to run the event, no equipment and a stadium that has received no attention.

"Needless to say, I am not impressed as I have put in months of work advising and planning."

Eight national teams had been scheduled to compete at next week's crucial event.

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