adminManyanda said Masiyambumbi should take blame as he has failed to steer amateur boxing to greater heights. This, he said, was evidenced by the number of pugilists that have left the sport after being frustrated by lack of fights or after being overlooked for national teams.
Since the beginning of the year, Baba only held a single competition at Lobengula Hall.
“What is clear is that Baba has failed boxing in Bulawayo. The problem is that Masiyambumbi is personalising the sport and everything has to evolve around him be it coaching, refereeing or management. Nothing can be done without him which is bad.
“The problem is that no one can stand up to him because they fear upsetting him and getting suspended. I believe it is high time the Sport and Recreation Commission (SRC) and the Zimbabwe Olympic Committee (Zoc) be involved in sorting the mess that is there in amateur boxing,” said Manyanda.
At the beginning of the year, Baba suspended two executive members that is secretary-general Lewis Chihata and organising secretary Mandla Phuthi as a way of covering the organisation’s failure to uplift the sport in the city.
The suspensions came after this publication wrote a story about the Baba executive running down boxing in the city. Baba only had two competitions the whole of 2011.
According to Manyanda, Masiyambumbi has made a number of dubious decisions like appointing his son Foster as Bulawayo’s coach for the team that went for the National Youth Games in August.
“How do you explain a situation where you have a 22 year-old, who happens to be Masiyambumbi’s son, Foster given the mandate of being the provincial coach? We have experienced guys like Phillip ‘Striker’ Ndlovu, Mandla Phuti, Oscar Mkhwananzi or even myself who could have led the team. What can Forster teach upcoming boxers? Are we really serious about developing sport?” asked Manyanda.
Last year Masiyambumbi was dropped from the Zimbabwe team after the Sport and Recreation Commission queried why he was accompanying his sons as coach and manager to the All-Africa Games in Mozambique.
Manyanda commended Ndlovu for turning his boxers Ntando Sibanda and Meluleki Ngulube professional.
“You cannot continue training without a fight and when it comes to regional competitions you find that only the Masiyambumbis go for those tournaments at the expense of good pugilists. Striker (Ndlovu) did a good thing turning his boxers professional as they get to fight a lot.
“It is my hope that people like Striker or Phuti are not lost to the sport as they are good at grooming talent and they have a passion for boxing,” Manyanda said.
He encouraged Baba to approach the Manor Hotel management who have been supporting amateur boxing by providing the venue to stage monthly competitions for free.
Ezwell Ndlovu and Manyanda who were at the helm when there were more activities in the province, have since taken a back seat.
Others are of the view that Masiyambumbi has too much on his hands as he is technical director of Zaba and coaches the army team in Harare.
Efforts to get comment from Masiyambumbi were fruitless as his wife stated that he was away.
Online Reporter