Govt should be in forefront of assisting national teams

WE cried for salvation for the country’s beleaguered sport as we clamoured for someone able to exorcise the ghost that had bedevilled our sporting landscape.

Ours was not a plea for men of integrity and unquestionable leadership qualities to be ushered into office in our quest for better fortunes in our sports (we have those in abundance), it was an equally huge “cry” for the long overdue need for a stand alone Ministry of Sport which we felt was the long awaited answer to end our headaches and heartaches, because of our sporting failures.

We were agreeable that the country had great players, and that the nation also boasted of tried and tested administrators. But these should be accountable to a sole parent Ministry of Sport. Our argument then was that Zimbabwe had the potential to become a sporting powerhouse in Africa and beyond, provided sport was given the seriousness it deserved.

We hoped that Central Government would realise that sport had the potential to employ millions of people in the country if run professionally.

We recall the scenario that obtained whereby sport was under the same ministry as education and culture and it was simply not in the best interest of the potentially huge money-spinner that could employ millions of people in the country if run professionally. That it was under the same ministry as education and culture was not in the best interest of sport, a potential employer of choice.

Education on its own has a lot of work, gobbling almost three quarters of the annual budget of the ministry as well as the lion’s share of the minister’s energies, leaving sport with meager resources to meet its obligations.

In most countries where sport is a success, such as Brazil and nearer home South Africa, sport has had its own ministry.

Infact that is why in South Africa there are numerous sporting success stories, such that a team such as Orlando Pirates, which reached the final of the African Confederation’s Cup, was nominated for an award at the forthcoming South African Sports Awards.

A stand alone sports ministry, with an equally able minister is the way to go if we are to develop and adopt a high level of seriousness in the upliftment of Zimbabwean sport.

Leaving sport to associations run by, in some instances, “incompetent” administrators, like what has been in the past, proved an absolute disaster.

Have a quick look at the state of our soccer, hockey, cricket, boxing, tennis, ruby, athletics, etc; what we can only see is the extent of how maladministration, greed, has damaged this vital sector of the Zimbabwean economy.

A Ministry of Sport is what was needed after the complete failure by the SRC in its role as the custodian of the precious jewel called sport.

We therefore feel encouraged by the energies our new Minister of Sport Makhosini Hlongwane has put in place in his short stint as a Minister, while not promising heaven on earth, his approach to basics, vis a vis sponsorship and Government support for all the sporting codes is commendable.

“The journey of a thousand miles begins with one step,’’ so says a Chinese proverb.

The idea the above aphorism alludes to is that a whole journey is contained in the first step; it refers undoubtedly to the importance of beginnings, the necessity of getting off to a right start in anything that one undertakes. Every engineer knows that the foundations of a building must be strong and proportional; else the whole structure will not stand the test of time.

Hlongwane has done that already, although our advice is that the Government, just like elsewhere, should be in the fore front of bankrolling national teams. And any other assistance thereto should be solely to complement Government efforts.

Government funding national sporting excursions is the norm in many countries and would not be unique to Zimbabwe. National teams not only bring us together as a nation but they provide crucial pride to the country. People will testify how fans of different teams have come together to back the Warriors and the success of the national football team (where it has been achieved) has brought joy to all.