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Sports Reporter
THE Minister of Sport, Arts and Culture, Andrew Langa yesterday said Matabeleland South and Harare provinces, not his ministry are to blame for the ejection of their athletes from the ongoing National Youth Games in Mutare.
More than 120 athletes from Matabeleland South were sent home from the games on Wednesday after the province failed to pay the affiliation fees of $80 per individual, sparking an outcry from the province, but Minister Langa said he was not to blame.
He said Matabeleland South were not kicked out from the games, but they only managed to affiliate 10 athletes, who are still participating in the games, after raising only $800.
The minister said Harare province had also sent three unaffiliated teams, a boys’ and girls’ football team as well as a volleyball team. The football teams were sent away after the province only managed to raise participation fees for the volleyball team.
“Matabeleland South only raised $800 and that’s enough for only 10 athletes. The province brought athletes that are not affiliated in violation of the standing rules of no affiliation, no participation,” said Minister Langa.
The failure to raise funds for affiliation, he said, has nothing to do with his ministry, but should be blamed on the provinces, whose structures are responsible for fundraising.
He said each province has its own organising structures headed by the provincial administrator and the patron of each province is the Minister of State for Provincial Affairs.
“The Ministers of State for Provincial Affairs oversee everything and what happens in the province is the responsibility of the Minister of State for Provincial Affairs.
“I’m also embarrassed by what happened by virtue of coming from Matabeleland South, but we’re not to blame,” he said.
He revealed that this was not the first time that Matabelaland South had taken unaffiliated athletes to the National Youth Games, saying they did the same in last year’s games. They were allowed to compete after promising to pay the host province Masvingo $9,000 after the event, but failed to honour their pledge.
“Had they honoured and paid Masvingo, they might have been allowed to participate at this year’s games, but it was going to be unreasonable to saddle them with an additional debt of $11,000,” Minister Langa said.
He urged provinces not to send unaffiliated athletes to future events to avoid such embarrassment.
He said he would be writing to the Minister of State for Provincial Affairs for Matabeleland South Abednico Ncube on Monday to get more details about the affiliation challenges they faced so it can be addressed at national level.
Minister Ncube could not be reached for comment yesterday as his mobile was unreachable.
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