adminMbachi Mutukula-Maregere Sports Reporter
DESPITE being dropped from the 1991 Sables rugby World Cup squad on racially-based allegations that he had stolen a pair of training shorts, former Sables winger Zivanai “Ziv” Dzinomurumbi never lost heart.
This was just but one of the difficulties that black players faced during his playing days but the former winger feels that efforts by the Government to spread the game bore fruit.
The former Sables assistant coach will always be counted among such players who fought against racism in the sport together with the likes of former Sables captain Victor Olonga, Elimon “Bedford” Chimbima, the late great Richard Tsimba and Honeywell Nguruve.
“I remember there was a lot of racism before 1980 and also in the early ’80’s.
“I knew my rugby because I loved it and in 1991 it was very painful to be left out of the national team for the World Cup on an allegation when I knew I was innocent.
“There was a pair of training shorts which had gone missing in the changing room and the white players were all looking at me as if I was the one who stole it.
“The majority of whites had a lot of influence in the sport and we are glad that it has changed now it is balanced in many teams locally,” said Dzinomurumbi.
However, the former Old Miltonians back-liner feels that there are still some traits of white favouritism in rugby especially when it comes to World Cup. He alleged most of the foreign-based white players only avail themselves in the final stages but do not want to be involved during the early stages of qualifiers.
“Previously, in 1989, I was part of the squad that had qualified for the World Cup since I played in the Africa qualifiers as well as the Victoria Cup were I scored two tries. I was disappointed on the day of the selection for the World Cup, I was left out of the squad. At the end of the day it was really the black players who were playing a big role in getting the squad to remain unbeaten.
Online Reporter