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Ricky Zililo, Senior Sports Reporter
RECREATIONAL drugs are threatening the careers and lives of most footballers and ex-Highlanders’ winger Gift Lunga Jnr has called for massive awareness to change the course and focus of the present crop of players.
Better known as Thebe during his playing days, Lunga also had some brushes with the law and was at one time arrested whilst awaiting to report for camp with Highlanders, as part of the trailblazing Bosso squad that won four championships at the turn of the millennium.
On the fateful day, Lunga, who couldn’t recall which match they were preparing for, said he was “relaxing” with some of his friends from G-square in Mzilikazi when cops pounced on them.
Thebe is adamant he wasn’t puffing and passing weed, but insists that his friends, who ran away when they saw the police, were the ones puffing.
He regrets not addressing rumours that he always played under the influence of dagga.
“My heart bleeds when I see some of the talented youngsters just throwing away their future to drugs, especially now during the Covid-19 lockdown when there are no activities and youngsters have idle time on their hands. These young people should get their act together because life is hard,” said Lunga.
“I think maybe these youngsters lack role models. Maybe we are also letting them down as role models. We have to talk about these ills that affect our society. During our time it was dagga abuse, but now there are pills, cough mixtures and so on. Let’s stand together and address this drug abuse before it wipes out our talented youngsters,” he said.
Now the development coach at Bulawayo City FC, Lunga has developed a strong passion for junior players.
He spent six years as a development coach at Highlanders before moving to Victoria Falls-based First Division side Mosi Rovers to enhance his career last year before quitting to take up is present role.
… Read more on Saturday Chronicle.
-@ZililoR
Online Reporter