admininternational events of this nature.
The forum brought together the top women leadership of sport on the continent: Association of National Olympic Committees of Africa (Anoca) Women and Sport Commission members, women of the Anoca executive, presidents, vice presidents and secretaries-general of African National Olympic Committees.
Zimbabwe was officially represented by three delegates, namely Zimbabwe Olympic Committee vice-president and 2012 London Olympic Games chef de mission Busi Chindove, ZOC chief executive Anna Mguni and Sports Commission board member Jessy Nyakatawa. The forum was officially opened by Vice President Joice Mujuru, who was represented by the Minister of Media and Information Webster Shamu.
The dignitaries present at the official opening ceremony were the Deputy Minister of Education, Sport, Arts and Culture Lazarus Dokora, Anoca president Lassana Palenfo, IOC board members Beatrice Allen and Sam Ramsammy and the British Ambassador to Zimbabwe Deborah Bronnert.
Also present were the Sports Commission director-general Charles Nhemachena and the IOC Director Department of International Co-operation and Development Tomas Sithole.
Presentations made during the forum included those from Zimbabwe’s swimming icon Kirsty Coventry whose motivational speech related her experiences as a female athlete. Miriam Moyo, the Anoca Women and Sport secretary-general also gave a status report on Women and Sport Committee activities on the African continent. Mguni, the ZOC chief executive, made a presentation on perspectives on women in sport.
The group held discussions centred around developing a strategic path for the Anoca Women and Sport Commission and a number of key resolutions were identified, as well as the formulation of deliberate strategies to grow numbers and maintain leadership positions (numbers) of women leaders.
The forum came up with resolutions which African women will take to the IOC Women and Sport Conference to be held in Los Angeles, United States, from February 16-18. The group also came up with objectives and strategies centred on key areas of resources mobilisation, governance, communication and addressing general and social perspectives.
In his closing remarks, Anoca president Palenfo gave credit to Zimbabwe for the successful hosting of the forum. He noted that deliberations and recommendations had been particularly fruitful and he indicated his pleasure at proceedings.
ZOC is pleased to announce that a special invitation was extended by the Anoca president to ZOC chief executive Mguni to attend the Los Angeles Conference from February 16-18.
l Anna Mguni is the Zimbabwe Olympic Committee chief executive
Online Reporter