Lack of funds has forced the Hockey Association of Zimbabwe (HAZ) to cancel two international tournaments to have been hosted in Bulawayo in August and December.

This has also dealt a body blow to the nation’s preparations for the World Cup set for Santiago, Chile, in December.

Bulawayo was going to host a tri-nations tournament that would have featured Zambia, Angola and Zimbabwe in August, while nine countries were expected to take part in the Africa Cup for Club Championships (ACCC) in December.

A distraught HAZ president Humphrey Chigwedere said $60,000 was needed for both tournaments, but his association, which has no corporate funding, failed to raise the money and was left with no option but to cancel the two events.

“The tri-nations has been cancelled due to lack of funds needed to host. We have also cancelled hosting of the ACCC in December for the same reason,” said Chigwedere.

“Countries had not yet indicated whether they will come (for the ACCC), but historically about nine countries participate in the tournament. Both tournaments had budgets of $30,000 each.”

He said the forced cancellation of the tournaments, especially the August one, would have a negative bearing on their World Cup preparations, but said they would have to come up with strategies as a way forward.

“Obviously the cancellation will affect us, but that is the situation; we will strategise and work out the way forward,” he said.