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Ellina Mhlanga Sports Reporter
LUSUMBAMI Queens chairperson, Thembinkosi Muremba, has revealed the club is facing a difficult situation due to lack of sponsorship to help them takepart in the Rainbow Amateur Netball League.
The Hwange-based club have been facing financial challenges.
They withdrew from the league, just before the start of the 2020 programme.
But, they later bounced back with the backing of well-wishers from the community.
However, the outbreak of the coronavirus pandemic, which has negatively impacted all sectors across the globe, is posing a threat to their survival.
The well-wishers who were assisting the team are now facing challenges and might not be able to continue lending a helping hand.
“Everything has actually collapsed. Everything just turned upside down because this thing just caught us unaware and it was sudden, and we were left in a desperate situation,’’ Muremba said.
‘’I mean, no one had planned, or knew, that we might end up in this situation.
“So, the effects just came and paralysed us at once, so it’s tough. When you are inactive, in sport, it’s difficult.
“Our club survives on mobilising resources from the community, through friends and the likes, and those people will be running around and, at the end of the day, we are able to get something.
“So, as long as everything is down, you cannot mobilise resources.”
The club had a slow start to the season that went into a break just after three games.
“We hoped that by now we would have stabilised as a club, started our (income-generating) projects because there were people that had promised to help us,’’ said Muremba.
“So, at least, when we mobilise for support we will be looking, maybe, at transport.
“But, everything is now on hold and it’s going to be tough because this situation is affecting everyone including those that would want to help us.
“They also need to restart their projects to be in a position to have that extra something to help us. So, as a club, we are really in a tight spot.’’
However, the Lusumbami chairperson believes they can still find a way to keep the club running in the event the league resumes.
“Our fight is always that we don’t want to allow ourselves to die a natural death, regardless of whatever situation.
“If other clubs can also manage to run around, and rise up again, we will also find a way.
“We need to remain active and we will work extra hard to make the club survive and avoid dying a natural death.’’
Online Reporter