By MOSES CHIMFWEMBE –

ZAMBIA’S hopes of competing at the 2015 Badminton World Federation (BWF) Under-20 championship slated for Peru are slowly fading.
This is because Badminton Zambia (BZ) is still struggling to secure air tickets for the five-member squad.
As of yesterday, the association had only managed to secure one air ticket ahead of the tournament that starts on Friday next week in Lima.
BZ general secretary Kingsley Mulenga said in an interview that the association is hoping for a miracle with only a week left before the championship begins.
Mulenga said the team that includes top seed Chongo Mulenga and his younger brother Kalombo, Evelyn Siamupangila and Mary Chilambe are scheduled to leave for Peru on Monday together with coach Juma Muwowo.
“Our players’ trip to Peru hangs in a balance. We have tried our best in ensuring that we secure the tickets as an association but help is not forthcoming, at the moment, we only have one air ticket and we only hope something can come up within the remaining days,” Mulenga said.
Recently, Kalombo did not defend the under-15 Africa championship after BZ failed to secure funds for team’s travel.
He said should the trip fall out, the association will concentrate on the forthcoming Zambia Open Championship billed for next month.
Mulenga said the team had been shaping up well in readiness for the tournament but that the setback suffered in travel arrangements was retrogressive.
“This team is very experienced having taken part in the Malaysia edition, it is just very sad despite them preparing adequately, things cannot just work out,” he said.