NAIROBI, May 14 -- Kenya men's volleyball head coach Moses Epoloto says his team is under pressure to return to the Africa Games after missing the last three editions.

Nairobi will host this year's Zone Five Africa Games qualifiers from June 5 to 10 with Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania, Sudan, Egypt and Rwanda having confirmed their participation.

However, Kenya Volleyball Federation (KVF) president Waithaka Kioni said South Sudan, Eritrea, Djibouti, Burundi and Somalia are yet to confirm whether they will take part.

"We are privileged to stage the qualifiers. It gives Kenya the chance to qualify and we hope the boys will do everything to secure a berth at the Africa Games," said Kioni on Monday in Nairobi.

However, he warned that the bar has been raised since their last performance at the Africa Games in 2003, which were held in Abuja, Nigeria.

Epoloto says organizers have made it harder for teams to qualify, and that each zone will now have to go through qualification to secure the seven tickets available to link up with hosts Morocco at the finals, which will be held in Rabat in August.

"Kenya has a strong team, but we face strong opponents. There are seven zones and in each, only one team will qualify. Nairobi is hosting the men's qualifiers in June and as hosts, Kenya is under pressure to return to the Africa Games.

"I hope we will weather the storm and clinch the ticket," said Epoloto on Monday in Nairobi.

【体坛英语资讯：Kenya mens volleyball team under pressure to qualify for Africa Games】相关文章：

★ 体坛资讯：76ers impressed by 6-foot-11 Yi

★ 体坛英语资讯：Li Yang sets womens 50m backstroke world mark

★ 体坛英语资讯：My left foot ... Yaos agony

★ 娱乐英语资讯：Penelope flashes her assets in sexy new Mango ad

★ 体坛英语资讯：China, Indonesia share light at badminton worlds

★ 娱乐英语资讯：Julianne Moores valentine to charity

★ 体坛英语资讯：France files protest after defeat by China in Fed Cup

★ 体坛英语资讯：Another injury sends Yi to NBA sidelines

★ 体坛英语资讯：Austrian goalkeeper Payer to miss UEFA 2008 due to illness

★ 体坛英语资讯：Yi starts new life in Milwaukee