Ministry crafts National Sports Strategy

Ngqwele Dube, Sports Correspondent

THE Ministry of Youth, Sport, Arts and Recreation is crafting a national sports strategy that is aimed at professionalizing sports in the country.

Youth, Sport, Arts and Recreation Minister, Kirsty Coventry implored the need for improved administration of national sport associations.

Coventry revealed the Ministry has already set up a team that is creating the document and although they had produced an initial draft she was not pleased with the contents and sent it back to be redone.

Speaking in a live video address on Twitter, Coventry said they are looking at the long haul with the strategy envisaged to cover a 10-year period.

“We are working on a national sports strategy, which we have never had as a country and it needs to be between eight and 10 years long as it will not be an overnight thing, it cannot be a tow-year or three-year thing. Remember I earlier talked about having made the decision to go to the Olympics at nine but only got my first gold medal when I was 21 years old.

“I got the first draft last week but I was not happy with it and sent it back to the drawing board. It should be a tiered system where if our national federations have to fulfil specific criteria,” she said.

Coventry said there is critical need to have proper structures that will help professionalise the country’s sport.

Some national sports associations have been found wanting with others being hauled before disciplinary tribunals by the Sports and Recreation Commission for failing to comply with the country’s supreme sports body’s statutes.