Limited internet, no mobile data, night shifts: Eritrea finds a way
Every nation across the globe faces challenges when it comes to the provision of tennis, but considering the state of play in Eritrea, what is being achieved there is impressive to say the least.
In a world which has an increasing reliance upon digital services and products, Eritrea – a northeast African country on the Red Sea Coast – is at an immediate disadvantage with limited internet connectivity.
The internet access is mainly limited to government offices, hotels and internet cafes – invariably in Asmara, the capital city. Internet penetration is estimated at just above one per cent, while mobile data is unavailable.
That makes everyday business across the tennis community – whether players, coaches, officials or administrators – extremely difficult. Even if an individual manages to secure access, loading a basic search engine such as Google can take 10 minutes or more.
In addition, many social media platforms require a high bandwidth to load, further decreasing the probability of easy communication for the Eritrean Tennis Federation with its counterparts abroad.
However, to their great credit, those at the federation continue to make significant sacrifices in order to advance tennis across their nation.
Confirmed by the 2024 ITF Global Tennis Report, the number of players participating in tennis in Eritrea increased in the five years since the previous report, while the number of coaches across the nation doubled from six to 12.
They are also a nation which is fully active within the ITF Junior Tennis Initiative (JTI) – a programme which gives children the opportunity to pick up a racket for the first time – so every indication suggests participation will continue to rise.
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While there is still no breakthrough on the performance side, Eritrea does have five players with a Confederation of African Tennis ranking at 14-and-under level – the first time this has happened – so something must be working.
“The work being done by the national association is exceptionally impressive,” said Thierry Ntwali, the ITF’s Development Officer for Central and East Africa.
“The national association's commitment to fostering talent through structured training programmes and increased competitive opportunities is vital.
“Their ongoing support and the players’ hard work suggests this success is just the starting point for their tennis careers. The efforts of the national association are laying the groundwork for the next generation of Eritrean tennis stars.
“The recent performance of Eritrean junior players showcases their dedication and potential. It also demonstrates their remarkable skills and determination in climbing the rankings, indicating a bright future.”
Returning to the difficulties surrounding internet provision in Eritrea, the feasibility of reaching sites such as the ITF Academy or filing an online JTI report is remote at best. These are things which other nations take for granted, but in Eritrea it is a hurdle to overcome.
Selam Ghirmai is the General Secretary of the Eritrean Tennis Federation and she previously went to the national association’s offices in Asmara after midnight in the hope of achieving better connectivity.
Members of Eritrean Tennis Federation have also subscribed to packages which promise better internet provision. Ghirmai, for example, now has a night package at her home through EriTel - the sole operator of landline telephone communication infrastructure in Eritrea - meaning she can access the internet between 10pm and 6am.
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While connectivity issues persist, it does allow some of the national association’s work to be done, although at a cost of $100 USD per month, it is not exactly affordable given average salaries in Eritrea.
The President of the Eritrean Tennis Federation, Yohannes Tesfay, is also the owner of Eritrea FedEx and, while he also struggles with the connectivity problems as much as anyone else, he strives to do what he can at work to improve regional and international communication.
He takes the lead should the national association need to complete paperwork with regard to the ITF Facility Grant programme, ITF Academy registrations or ITF AGM registration, for instance.
Board member Senai Tesfayesus, meanwhile, works for Eritel as a civil engineer and also attempts to access the internet at irregular hours to circumvent connectivity issues. Tesfayesus has been key in downloading and distributing short-course materials for coaches from the ITF Academy.
Incidentally, he is also a qualified tennis official and the first referee from Eritrea to achieve White Badge recognition, meaning he has met the standard set by the ITF to officiate at international events.
“People who do not live in Eritrea probably take for granted the availability of regular internet access and mobile data services on their mobiles,” added Ntwali, who was last week awarded the International Trailblazer award by the Tennis Black List.
“This makes the work of the national association even more remarkable and the individuals who keeps tennis going and are improving it for future generations deserve immense credit.
“With the economy being slow, and private sector sponsorship non-existent in the country, the national association conducts all its activities through grants received by the Eritrean Sports Commission, National Olympic Committee and ITF.
“It is difficult to find rackets, strings and balls in Eritrea, let alone items like nets and other training equipment. A big well done to the team there for doing what they are doing.”
The situation in Eritrea is a stark reminder of the efforts being undertaken to ensure that tennis continues to enrich the lives of millions of people around the world.