Online Reporter
Collin Matiza-Zimpapers Sports Hub
THE Zimbabwe Olympic Committee have appointed former long-distance runner and veteran sports administrator, Abel Chimukoko, as Chef de Mission of Team Zimbabwe for the 2028 Los Angeles Games.
Chimukoko will be responsible for the overall management, logistics, and athlete welfare for the travelling Olympic Games delegation from Zimbabwe.
According to ZOC, Chimukoko, a senior police officer, brings over three decades of elite-level athletic competition, international sports governance, and strategic event management experience to this prestigious leadership role.
A world-class long-distance runner, Chimukoko represented Zimbabwe in the marathon at the Athens 2004 Olympic Games and achieved a world ranking of 4th at the World Athletics Cross Country Championships.
In a statement released yesterday, ZOC said: “Currently serving as Director of Sports for the Zimbabwe Republic Police (ZRP) since 2013, Chimukoko has demonstrated a proven track record of executive athletic leadership.
“His previous Chef de Mission experience includes successfully leading sport delegations to the SARPCCO Games in Mbabane (2015), Luanda (2019), and Dar es Salaam (2022).
“Chimukoko has long been a pillar of the local and international Olympic movement. He is President of the Zimbabwe Olympians Association and served as Athletes’ Commission Chairman on the ZOC Board in 2017 and, after being re-elected in 2025, currently chairs the Olympians, Olympism365, Olympic Values Education Program (OVEP), and Sustainability Commission.
“A fierce advocate for ethical governance, he has represented Zimbabwe at the International Olympic Committee (IOC) Sports Integrity Symposium and World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) forums in Switzerland.”
As Chef de Mission, Chimukoko will oversee the logistical, operational, and administrative preparations for Team Zimbabwe, ensuring that the nation’s finest athletes are fully supported as they pursue excellence on the world’s grandest sporting stage at LA28.
Chimukoko joins the “elite class” of fellow seasoned sports administrators such as the current ZOC president Thabani Gonye and Titus Zvomuya, who served as the Chef de Missions of Team Zimbabwe at the 2020 and 2016 Olympic Games in Tokyo, Japan, and Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, respectively.
Gonye also previously served in the 2008 Beijing Games in China.
Former Zimbabwe Volleyball Association president, Ringisai Mapondera, served as the Chef de mission for Team Zimbabwe at the 2024 Paris Olympic Games in France.
A chef de Mission (Head of Mission) is the leader and chief representative of a country’s delegation at the Olympic Games. They are essentially the “team captain” responsible for overseeing the athletes, managing logistics, and co-ordinating the delegation’s overall strategy before and during the event.
The appointment of a Chef de Mission is typically handled by the National Olympic Committees (NOC) of each participating country.
Historically, local sports administrators and former Olympians are favoured for this role to ensure the team receives the best possible behind-the-scenes representation and support.
