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Sikhumbuzo Moyo Senior Sports Reporter
THE Bulawayo Athletics Board (Bab) has been accused of destroying the sport in the province through fanning factionalism among affiliates and officials.
The board also stands accused of sending its favourite but inexperienced officials to attend high level courses, such as the internationally recognised Technical Officials Education and Certification System (TOECS).
A Bab official told Chronicle Sport yesterday that athletics was dying in Bulawayo due to high level incompetence by board officials.
“Some officials are technically unskilled yet they’re always given duties to perform. We’ve had some athletes running more laps or even fewer laps, especially in the 5,000m, because of the officials who wouldn’t have gone through the proper training mill,” said an official who requested anonymity for fear of being sidelined in future competitions.
The official said six months after Bulawayo hosted the African Union Sports Council Region 5 Games, officials have still not been trained how to operate some of the equipment used in December.
“TOECS isn’t just an ordinary course; you need to go through the mill, get the necessary experience and then be recommended to attend TOECS, but here in Bulawayo, as long as you’ve the course fee, you can go and attend,” said the official.
However, Bab chairman Manuel Mpofu refuted the allegations of bias and favouritism saying those complaining were actually jealous of his board.
“People will always find fault everywhere; the successes of this board are just tremendous. If you check the number of competitions that have been held since we came onboard, you’ll really see that all is in order,” said Mpofu.
He said those that had done TOECS would have done so at the recommendation of the board and not because of favouritism.
However, three of the five people that have attended the TOECS course are all members of Bab.
The goal of the TOECS is to improve the level of athletics officiating all over the world by creating a basic level of officiating skills.
The operation of the TOECS is co-ordinated by the International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF) Development Department.
The TOECS features standard learning materials and specifically trained lecturers for three levels of courses.
The objective of the Level 1 course is to provide participants with the theoretical and practical training required to make them capable of officiating at national level competitions and at international competitions held within the country. Level one courses are organised by the member federation, however, for approved courses the IAAF will supply the necessary materials. Participants who successfully complete the course receive an IAAF Level One Officiating Certificate. Those participants whose examination marks meet the required standards are eligible to attend a Level 2 course.
The Level 2 course provides participants with the theoretical and practical training required to make them capable of officiating at international competitions up to the Area level. The course also identifies candidates for the position of ATO. Participants who successfully complete the course receive an IAAF Level II Officiating Certificate.
The Level 3 course provides participants with the theoretical and practical training required to make them capable of officiating at international competitions up to the highest level. Participants who successfully complete the course receive the IAAF Officiating Diploma and are placed on the IAAF ITO Panel making them eligible for appointment to ITO positions.
Any member federation, which has its own technical officials’ education programme in place, may apply to the IAAF for Level I equivalence. If the programme is recognised as equivalent to the TOECS Level I, those national officials who have achieved the highest level under that system will be eligible to participate in a TOECS Level II course, provided that all other requisites have been complied with.
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