adminRay Bande Senior Sports Reporter
SOCCER fans in Manicaland have urged Government go out of its way and ensure that the country earns the right to host the 2017 Africa Cup of Nations.
Zimbabwe won the right to host the 2000 Nations Cup finals, but the CAF leaders took the tournament to Nigeria and Ghana, at the last minute, claiming that the country had done very little to prepare for the tourney.
Zimbabwe failed in a bid to host the 2010 Nations Cup finals, which were won by Angola.
Recently, Tourism and Hospitality Industry Minister Walter Mzembi even has a bigger dream and recently dared Zimbabweans to prepare to launch an ambitious bid to host the 2034 Fifa World Cup.
However, preparatory efforts are at an advanced stage to bring the continental soccer competition to Zimbabwe in 2017 as the country bids to host the event and fans believe that the nation should be more serious in its approach this time around.
Desire Dube of Gaza, Chipinge, told this newspaper that hosting the 2017 Africa Cup of Nations will help kick-start efforts to revive our ailing national team
“I think this is an opportunity for the country to revive the national team that appears to be weakening with each passing year. In fact, hosting the Nations Cup will give us the platform to breathe life into our dear Warriors squad.
“It is now known that we will not be able to take part in international soccer competitions after dismally failing in the World Cup and Afcon qualifiers hence we now have adequate time to assemble a formidable side that will do well especially if we then host the tournament in 2017,” said Dube.
Jacob Chinyanga of Dangamvura said we have the capacity to host the tournament only if we can put our things in order in time.
“We just need to be more serious for once. This is an opportunity that we can utilise not only to revitalise our national team but also to market our country as a tourist destination.
“I do not think the countries that have won the right to host the event in the past are much, much better than us but we only fall short in terms of our preparations.
“I hope this time the Government will go out of its way and ensure that the country wins the bid to host the tournament,” he said.
Cynthia Dangarembizi of Chikanga, Mutare, also echoed Chinyanga’s sentiments saying there is need to be organised in the way we prepare for hosting the tournament.
“I think as a country we can host Afcon but we have not been organised in our approach.
“We should set realistic deadlines for ourselves as well as ensure that adequate funding is availed in time. Otherwise we have some facilities that are far much better than other countries that have hosted the event,” she said.
The Confederation of African Football revealed that Libya would no longer host the 2017 Nations Cup because of the deteriorating security situation in that country and invited other countries to present their bids to host the tournament.
A Libyan delegation, led by the country’s Minister of Youth and Sports and the president of the Libyan Football Federation, told CAF president Issa Hayatou that owing to the unstable security situation in the country, Libya would not be able to host Afcon in 2017.
Consequently, the secretary-general of CAF, Hicham El Amrani, dispatched a circular on August 23, 2014 to all 54 member associations informing them of the decision and “opening bids for the hosting of the 2017 Africa Cup of Nations.
“The designation of the host for this competition will be made according to the statutory provisions of CAF, especially in conformity with articles 27 to 47 of the Regulations Governing the Application of CAF Statutes.”
The countries interested in replacing Libya as hosts of the 2017 Nations Cup finals have to submit their bids by the end of this month.
“In addition to the government guarantee and considering the limited time left for the organisation of the 2017 edition, the CAF Executive Committee will select a host country whose dossier guarantees that accommodation, transportation and hotels facilities, as well as training sites and stadiums already exist,” the continent’s football ruling body said on its official website.
“The designation of the host country will be made at a meeting of the (CAF) Executive Committee in 2015.”
Online Reporter