Kenyan volleyball boss Waithaka Kioni dies

The Kenya Volleyball Federation (KVF) president Waithaka Kioni has passed on after a short illness, NOC-Kenya president Paul Tergat has announced.

The veteran sports administrator died moments after 1am on Sunday morning after was reportedly taken ill on Saturday and rushed to a Nairobi hospital.

Aside from his role as the Kenyan volleyball boss, Kioni was also the National Olympic Committee of Kenya (NOC-K) second vice-president and the African Volleyball Confederation (CAVB) deputy president.

He has been at the helm of Kenyan volleyball since 2006 and was due to hand over the reins on April 29 this year during the delayed KVF national elections.

"The National Olympic Committee of Kenya (NOC-K) sadly announces the unfortunate sudden passing on of our 2nd Vice-President and President of the Kenya Volleyball Federation (KVF), the Late, Mr. Waithaka Kioni early this morning in Nairobi.

"NOC-K is devastated with the loss of its Executive Member and an ardent volleyball sport leader over the years. We wish to extend our deepest sympathies and condolences to his immediate and extended family, friends and volleyball fraternity in Kenya and Africa for this loss.

"We are currently consulting with his family and the Volleyball Federation leadership and will share more details later," NOC-K said in a statement.

Following the demise of Kioni, the KVF outgoing Secretary General Ben Juma suspended all the volleyball activities in the country.

The Paul Bitok National Volleyball Tournament which has attracted, among others, all the top tier KVF league teams was to conclude on Sunday.