Chronicle Editor
Sikhumbuzo Moyo, Senior Sports Reporter
ACCORDING to former United Nations Director of Communications Eric Falt, as quoted by authors Harald Dolles and Sten Soderman, the role of sport is concrete in business terms; it is an industry with unparalleled global reach and power.
Falt said globally, sport-related turnover amounts to three percent of world total economic activity.
In the United Kingdom, for example, sport-related turnover equals that of the automotive and food industries.
Major events such as the football World Cup, Cricket World Cup, Rugby World Cup, Olympic Games, Uefa Champions League and Formula One Grand Prix are watched around the world.
At the same time, the corporate practices of this worldwide industry can and do have widespread impact, socially and environmentally.
It is also common cause that some sports have achieved a global status, which explains why world football governing body Fifa has more members than the United Nations.
This is a clear indication that sport must take its place as a huge business emperor.
Gone are the days when sport was taken as just another part time activity, especially for people with nothing to do.
Sport is now a multi-billion dollar industry and a paradigm shift on how sport is viewed is needed.
This is why most governments, Zimbabwe included, now have a stand alone ministry of sport unlike in years gone by, clearly indicating that even politicians are now well aware of the power of sport.
Sport cuts across religious, racial, ethnic and political divide so anyone who ignores it does so at their own peril.
Sadly though, while sport has demonstrated its value and power at any level, it seems it’s not everyone who appreciates that, as some still consider sport a pastime not worthy to invest in as shown by the number of sporting facilities being destroyed or turned into flea markets in Zimbabwe.
A visit to Hwange, a town that used to be endowed with many sporting facilities that one can think of shows the sorry state facilities are now in.
At Lwendulu, just opposite the main bus terminus, there used to be a beautiful tennis court and swimming pool, but those two facilities have now been destroyed.
The tennis court is now a flea market, while the swimming pool is now used as a sex den by prostitutes and people relieve themselves there.
Recently we carried an article about a piece of land at Harry Allen Golf Club in Bulawayo that is being turned into a housing project.
As it stands the country has no football stadium that can play host to competitive senior national teams (both men and women) matches because the facilities are not compliant with Caf and Fifa standards.
If everyone had taken sport as a business and seen value in upgrading our stadiums, all these embarrassing situations that we find ourselves in would not be upon us.
In other countries, cities bid to host big matches because they know that they will get a return on their investment.
That is the attitude needed in Zimbabwe and while we now have a separate sports ministry, more needs to be done to unlock the huge value that sports has.
Let’s come up with a tax incentive specifically targeting companies that pour money into sports or any related sector.
That way we will have more corporates falling over each other to sponsor sporting activities and some can even enter into agreements with municipalities to rent some of their sports facilities.
All these dreams can come true if sport is taken as a business, as it should.
Bongani Ndlovu