adminMaria Chiguvari
THE Zimbabwe National Table Soccer Championship, known locally as slug or foosball, held a tournament in Harare at the weekend, drawing players from across the country.
Mabvuku resident, Douglas Matambanashe, won the tournament for the fourth time in a row, beating second-placed Sonny Sivare in a five-game thriller.
Matambanashe (40), who said he started playing the game at the age of six, won a floating shield, a bicycle and US$2 000.
He now plays the game full time.
He will team up with Sivare, Noel Justin, Richard Choto and Luka Ngwarati in the national team to play against South Africa, Zambia and Uganda in regional games, and will tour the United States in March and China in August.
Zimbabwe National Table Soccer president, Coxwell Chigwanha, said the national team is short on funds for its upkeep.
“We call upon our local corporates and international foosball partners to help us with funding. This sport has the potential to become a national sport and can take kids and youths off the streets and other vices like drug abuse and sexual promiscuity.
“We are also looking for foosball equipment, which includes tables. We want the sport to be played in clean environments and we hope to put many tables across the country to ensure the sport takes a complete national character,” he said.
Bongani Ndlovu
Mathew Masinge