adminThe games will be held from 10-14 April and the local organising committee chief executive officer, Victor Rakabopa, expressed confidence that they would be through by the time the games roar into life.
During the fund-raising and official launch of the games at the Edmund Davies Hall in Hwange early this month, the Zimbabwe Paralympic Committee roundly condemned the stadium, arguing that it was completely inaccessibly to people with disabilities, especially those who use wheelchairs.
“I know that many of you here will be shocked to hear this, Hwange Colliery Stadium is completely inaccessible to people with disabilities, especially those who use wheelchairs. I shudder to think what will happen during the games as I understand that it will be the venue for the official opening,” the ZPC secretary-general Lewis Garaba was quoted as saying then.
In an interview yesterday, Rakabopa allayed the fears and said work was already in progress.
He said besides the stadium renovations, everything else was moving according to plan with the projected budget of $300 000 expected to be met.
Various venues have been proposed to play host and house different sporting disciplines during the games. Athletics will be held at the Colliery Stadium, wheelchair basketball will be held at the only tertiary college in Hwange, Don Bosco, with Nechibondo Primary School playing host to netball.
The visually impaired, intellectually challenged and amputees will compete at the Colliery Stadium with the hearing impaired participating in netball while some will take part in goal ball, which will be at Lwendulu Hall. Old Ground at Lwendulu Village will play host to futsal football with conventional football being played at Sports Pavillion. Megawatt Primary School in Chibondo suburb will play host to wheelchair tennis.
At least 1 600 delegates comprising athletes and officials are expected to descend on Hwange and the host province, Matabeleland North, looks set to take full advantage of home support and improve on their dismal showing in last year’s games in Chinhoyi where they came last with just seven medals — one silver and six bronze.
Online Reporter