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Ellina Mhlanga Senior Sports Reporter
YOUTH, Sport, Arts and Recreation Minister Kirsty Coventry has rallied the senior netball team to make the nation proud as they make their second successive appearance at the Netball World Cup.
The global show-piece gets underway on July 28 and runs until August 6 in Cape Town, South Africa with 16 teams competing for honours.
Coventry, represented by Deputy Director Sport and Recreation in the Ministry Ignatius Vambe at the team’s send-off luncheon organised by the team’s sponsors Nedbank Zimbabwe in Harare yesterday, said they will continue supporting the Gems in their endeavours.
“As a Ministry and as a country we are very proud of what the girls have done for the country, for again qualifying and participating in this year’s edition of the World Cup. As government we will continue to support the Gems.”
The Nedbank-sponsored Gems are scheduled to leave for Cape Town tomorrow.
They have four friendly matches lined up, starting with a date against England on Sunday.
They will then face Barbados on July 25 and conclude with matches against Scotland and Wales on July 26.
Coventry urged the Gems to be ambassadors in the fight against drugs and promote clean sport.
“As you embark on this important journey please say no to drugs. We urge you and encourage you to be ambassadors in this drive for clean sport.
“We also encourage you to be ambassadors in helping other young people so that they also stay away from drugs and engage in useful activities like sporting just as you girls are doing . . . Sport is a good alternative to this menace that is destroying many of our young girls.
“We are proud of you girls, you have managed to avoid this scourge and we encourage you to stay clean. We wish you all the best as you go out there, enjoy yourselves and do your best,” said Coventry.
Coventry acknowledged Nedbank for their support to the team.
“As government we value Nedbank support and encourage other corporates to follow the example of Nedbank . . . The support you have shown and given to the girls will go a long way in augmenting government support,” said Coventry.
The Gems got a timely boost as each player received US$500 from Nedbank yesterday ahead of the team’s departure.
Nedbank initially unveiled US$50 000 in support of the team. They then reviewed the sponsorship upwards to US$63 000 before adding more to take the total package to slightly over US$72 000, including the allowances they got yesterday.
Nedbank Zimbabwe Acting Head of Marketing, Public Relations and Client Services Latifa Kassim said they have been intentional in contributing to sport.
“As part of our corporate social investment thrust, we have been intentional about contributing towards sport in our country. We have played an active role in rugby, athletics, golf and this year we embarked on this exciting journey with the Zimbabwe Netball Association and the Premier Netball League.
“Our commitment to netball is a reflection of our passion to empower women in our society as key pillars within our society. It is also our endeavour to create opportunities for our communities to thrive in their area of talent and to raise our national pride when presented with the opportunity to represent the country.
“As Nedbank, we have fulfilled our commitment by paying for the full kit, accommodation at Cresta in South Africa, air travel for our Gems and ZINA officials, gym subscription, travel insurance and participation fee and US$500 allowances for each participant which we will be providing today for meals — lunch and dinner in Cape Town and for their personal incidentals.”
Zimbabwe Netball Association president Letitia Chipandu said they were grateful to Nedbank.
“My deepest gratitude goes to Nedbank for the unwavering commitment and support enabling us to prepare our team to the best of our abilities.
“They have not just funded us but fuelled our passion and determination,” said Chipandu.
Gems captain Felisitus Kwangwa also acknowledged Nedbank for the sponsorship.
“We would like to say thank you so much for the support that you have given us and I know it’s not all about the World Cup only but the league as well which is where these top ties players are developed, so that they can be able to go and compete with other nations.
“To SRC (Sports and Recreation Commission), the government, thank you so much for giving us the support that we need as a team,” said Kwangwa.
Nedbank are sponsoring the Premier Netball League to a tune of US$50 000.
Zimbabwe were drawn in Pool A together with Australia, Fiji and Tonga.
Their first game is against Australia on July 28. Zimbabwe will then play Fiji the following day and Tonga on July 30 in the preliminaries stage one.
Yesterday’s send-off was also attended by officials from the Ministry of Youth, Sport, Arts and Recreation, Nedbank, SRC and ZINA.
leeroy
Online Reporter