‘Honour athletes while they are still alive’

Innocent Kurira, Sports Reporter
ZIMBABWEAN sport must honour its athletes while they are still alive, Basketball Union of Zimbabwe (BUZ) president Joe Mujuru has said.

“Our sporting heroes deserve to be recognised while they’re still alive. Many a time, we have seen sportspersons being praised and recognised after they have died, yet they are completely forgotten in the living years,” said Mujuru.

His association will honour the best basketball players of the past decade at the end of this month.

They will honour the players in three categories; team of the decade, player of the decade and people’s choice player of the decade.

“The support we are getting from people that voted and coaches that did the selection is quite massive. Excitement from the players and fans has been overwhelming. We are also excited that we will honour these players while they are alive because normally, we tend to want to recognise people when they have breathed their last,” said Mujuru.

“We have decided to take a proactive approach and honour these players and this is an exercise we also want to do for our referees, administrators and coaches. Our sporting heroes deserve to have their praises sung while they still alive,” he said.

BUZ has so far released the top 15 women and men players of the past decade selected by various coaches around the country.

To come up with the team of the decade, which consists of 12 players, three names will be dropped from the list of 15 in both categories.

Members of the public will vote for the best player of the decade from the list of 15 players in the men’s and women’s categories in a poll that opened yesterday and will run up to the end of the weekend.

To be eligible, a player should be a Zimbabwean citizen, who has played in a topflight league whether it be domestic or international.

Men’s list
Nathan Warikandwa, lnnocent Sithole, Tatenda Mature, Duncan Shenje, Tawanda Chitsinde, Warren Tegama, Trevor Sanyatwe, Everisto Pasipamire, Eric Banda, Tatenda Tswatswa, Taurai Chitsinde, Vitalis Chikoko, Simbarashe Mungomezi, Neville Chivhanganye, Walter Mabhena

Women’s list
Geraldine Chiponda, Serena Chareka, Dorcas Marondera, Fadzai Mabasa, Charity Mucucuti, Yolanda Matayataya, Rachael Makoni, Sibongile Mkandla, Juliet Misihairambwi, Sithabile Ngandini, Alexandra Maseko, Patience Chinhoyi, Melisa Majonga, Sharon Chamwarura, Margaret Magwaro
— @innocentskizoe