Kenya's hopes for competing at next year's Olympic Games in Sydney, Australia are all but gone after they failed to clinch a silver medal at the seventh All Africa Games held in Johannesburg in September.

But, even if Kenya clinched a silver medal, they could not have automatically made it for the Olympic qualifiers in Japan next year in April.

The tournament in Japan was by invitation and the Kenya Hockey Union did not bother to take up this invitation which was not pegged to the performance at the All Africa Games.

The immediate assignment for the national team after the tour to India is the Africa Nations Cup which will be hosted by either Zimbabwe or Egypt.

This is a qualifier for the World Cup in which the top three teams will proceed to Egypt for the pre-qualifier.

In Egypt, the top six teams will now proceed to the qualifiers proper to enhance their chances of reaching the World Cup. During the last championships in Cagliary Italy, Kenya finished seventh and missed going through.

Details are emerging how six women hockey players were approached by South Africa to play in top clubs. Gene Muller, a South African coach did not hide interest in Betty Tioni-Ambani, Florence Olal, Wendy Ekumba, Judith Amwayi, Lilian Kimeu and Hellen Chemtai.

Such is the interest on Kenyan players that three Egyptian clubs Sharkiah, Police Union, Islamia and El Ahly approached several national men's team players early in the year, a gesture which the players shied away from.

Beans being spilled from the All Africa Games experience are coming out in piecemeal. Yesterday, national goalkeeper Clement Omany said he will not play for the national team again unless he is sent an air ticket.

His decision follows a flaw by the KHU which failed to give full information to the All Africa Games Management Committee to the effect that they had players from outside the country who were in the national team.

"What the KHU needed to do was to write a letter to the Committee that we were based in Australia for us to be refunded our equivalent of air fare," Omany said.

The Games Management Committee he explained were not at fault and needed this clearance from the KHU. The deadline for submitting claims to the Games management Committee expires on October 20. For a good measure two players have been short-listed to join a team in Australia.

The negotiations are still at a delicate stage although the clubs Granger Royals and Woodville Hockey Club have identified the two players.

Reliable sources also said the tour to India by Kenya has been in doubt because the organisers want a full strong side. Initially, Kenya had wanted to send a junior squad which is not acceptable to the organisers.

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