malvernmugadzikwa
Zimpapers Sports Hub
THE African Union Sports Council (AUSC) Region 5 concluded their meetings and activities that have been running for close to two weeks in Harare with several decisions aimed at the continuous development of sport being made.
The decisions still have to be ratified by the regions’ respective ministers when they meet next month in Namibia.
AUSC Region 5 chief executive officer Stanley Mutoya shared some of the topical issues, including the need to do more in the region to improve performances at competitions such as the African Games.
“So, our board of advisers met and were looking into how much progress we have made looking back into the year. One of the things that was reflected on was our performance at the African Games, Olympic Games and Paralympic Games.
“And while we celebrated the performances by some of our athletes, the board noted that we still have a lot more to do because continentally, our region is still ranked third after region one, which is North Africa and West Africa (region two).
“So, that is a challenge that we found in terms of successes at these three Games that we have had. A decision was made and the board approved that long-term coach development programmes have to be put in place.
“Through the talent identification programme that we are going to be implementing, as well as a grassroots sports development course, we are trying now to invest more because that’s where these athletes are coming from,” said Mutoya.
The region is looking at the need for ministries of sport and ministries of education to work together towards quality physical education.
This will ensure children in schools are taught the right techniques from the lower level.
“When they come to sport, we are not beginning to teach them basic techniques, and that is another one,” he said
The region is also considering the introduction of senior games, as they already have the Youth Games that are held every two years.
The Games have proved to be a stepping stone for young athletes as some of them go on to make names for themselves in their respective sport codes at a higher level.
“That is still under consideration.
“While a decision was not made, we were tasked to go and unpack that now to say what are the modalities that we can use to introduce the senior Games?” Mutoya said.
Other decisions had to do with investment towards infrastructure maintenance, which is key for talent identification and nurturing, as well as accessibility to sport by citizens.
Issues of capacity building at various levels — ministries of sports, sports commissions and national federations — were discussed. They also looked at the budget for next year, with 55 percent of it going towards programme-related issues, capacity building of confederations (in particular taekwondo and netball), as well as various governance training for their confederations and safeguarding women in sport.
Three important projects — the Region 5 Youth Games; Regional Marathon, which is going to be a four-nations marathon; and the Regional Annual Sports Awards (RASA) that will be held in Zimbabwe — came under scrutiny.
“So, these are perhaps the high-level kind of resolutions that came out. These decisions, they are not the full decisions because now we go to Namibia and meet with the ministers on the 12th and 13th of December where they will ratify them.
“That is when now we can then say the recommendations that are coming from the board are decisions of the region, once the ministers endorse them,” said Mutoya.
Online Reporter