daniel chigunwe
Bruce Chikuni,
Sports Reporter
PROPHET Walter Magaya has provided a comprehensive outlay of his multi-million-dollar investment into domestic sport, in the past 19 years, with the construction of the Heart Stadium top of the list.
Magaya’s investment, which he says is purely driven by his passion for sport, has been spread across the board and its footprints are found in football, rugby, athletics and netball.
On Monday, Magaya flighted full page advertisements in the country’s leading daily newspapers to provide the country with a detailed picture of his investment in sport since 2005 when he funded grassroots football tournaments in Chitungwiza.
The full page advertisements cast a spotlight on the 101 things which Magaya has done in support of the local sports industry.
In recent weeks, Magaya’s name has featured prominently in discussions over who should be the next ZIFA president when the polls are held in January next year.
The investments into football include:
· Establishing Yadah Gunners in 2013, investing US$600 000 to support the project.
· Injecting US$30 000 to support a ZIFA Northern Region Division One tournament in September 2014.
· Donating US$400 000 worth of kits to all the provincial football teams participating in the Youth Games in August 2015.
· Pouring tens of thousands of United States dollars into supporting the national football teams during the time when Cuthbert Dube was the ZIFA president.
· Availing a US$28 000 sponsorship for the Mighty Warriors in April 2015.
· Stepping in to help ZIFA avoid a FIFA bad when he stepped in to service the US$67 000 debt owed to former Warriors coach Valinhos in 2015.
· Spending tens of thousands of United States dollars to pay off the debts which ZIFA owed to various hotels in Harare used for camping by the Warriors.
· Donating US$54 000 to ZIFA to cover the Warriors’ expenses in South Africa for the COSAFA Cup in 2015.
· Providing accommodation worth US$65 000 and funding for the Mighty Warriors ahead of a crucial Olympic qualifier match against Zambia in 2015.
· Providing a last-minute rescue package for the Warriors by paying the players and technical staff their allowances and match fees ensuring that the senior national team could fulfil their 2017 Nations Cup tie against Malawi.
· Providing US$50 000 to ensure the Warriors played in their Nations Cup Qualifier against Guinea after the team had gone on strike over unpaid allowances.
· Hosting the Warriors for a two-week camp in the VVIP section of Yadah Hotel at a cost of US$120 000 ahead of their 2017 AFCON qualifier against Liberia, which they won 3-0.
· Paying the national team a US$50 000 bonus after their demolition of Liberia.
· Contributing US$138 000 for the allowances of the Zimbabwe Legends, Barcelona Legends and the World Legends.
· Funding the entire cost of the Warriors’ training camp as they prepared for the resumption of their 2019 AFCON qualifiers at a cost of US$65 000.
· Taking care of the Young Warriors after they decided to leave the ZIFA Village due to poor living conditions and moved to Yadah Hotel, with all their accommodation costs being footed by Magaya.
· Hosting the Mighty Warriors, and footing all their accommodation costs, ahead of their Olympic qualifier match against Zambia in 2019.
Magaya also highlighted his journey in the administrative structures of local clubs, from starting as the IT expert at Gunners, who went on to win the league championship and representing the country in the CAF Champions League to starting and running Yadah FC.
Online Reporter