adminRicky Zililo Senior Sports Reporter
THE Basketball Union of Zimbabwe (BUZ) is urgently seeking corporate partners that would help create a sound financial base to cater for junior national teams’ participation at regional and international competitions. Zimbabwe’s Under-16 girls failed to travel for the week-long Afro-Basketball championships that ended yesterday in Madagascar after BUZ failed to raise $30,000 for airfares, accommodation, food and other administrative costs in the Indian Ocean Island.
BUZ technical president Sikhumbuzo “SV” Ndlovu said corporate partnerships were the way to go if national teams are to fulfil international meets.
By failing to travel to Madagascar after winning the regional qualifiers held in May in Gaborone, Botswana, Zimbabwe risks being banned from participating at future international competitions unless they pay a $10,000 fine.
If BUZ fails to pay the fine, the senior men’s team could be booted out of the 28th edition of the Africa Nations Championship set for Tunisia next month.
The Zimbabwe men’s basketball side would be making their first ever appearance at Africa’s biggest basketball showpiece that runs from August 19-30.
“It’s sad that this group of talented girls failed to travel after directly qualifying for the Afro-Basketball Championships where they were supposed to represent the African Union Sports Council Region Five because of cash issues. To avoid similar experiences, BUZ needs to find strategic partners, who will help create a good financial base for the association, so that we don’t get ourselves banned from international competitions for failing to fulfil assignments,” said Ndlovu.
“If you look at the present crop of players we have, they stood a great chance of winning in Madagascar because they had beaten regional powerhouse Angola in Botswana. There’s need to monitor this crop of players by keeping track of their performances at their various bases and encouraging them to continue playing the sport because they’re the future of Zimbabwe basketball.”
Ndlovu, who is the former national women’s team coach, thanked parents for supporting their children during their one week camp before the aborted trip.
He said BUZ was heavily reliant on government assistance and would continue with its development programmes to ensure that Zimbabwe churns out talented basketball players.
derick.khumalo