Sundaymail Editor
Deputy Sports Editor
FORMER Sport and Recreation Commission (SRC) administrator Kupakwashe Mukurumbira’s profile continues to grow after he was recently appointed to the Safe Sport International (SSI) board.
SSI is an international agency campaigning for the elimination, globally, of all forms of violence, abuse and harassment against athletes of all ages.
The organisation has four key areas it works with namely; safe sport education, policy formulation, advocacy and training.
Mukurumbira is also the Zimbabwe Boxing and Wrestling Control Board’s programmes’ manager.
His appointment to the board of SSI sees him join the likes of Anne Tiivas, Malia Arrington, Lori Okimura, Phil Doorgachurn, Babatunde Johnson, Ellen Zavian and Jonathan Taylor.
“This is an exciting new chapter for me, and I feel very honoured to become the first Zimbabwean on the board,” said Mukurumbira.
“It has given me a huge sense of responsibility because safeguarding safe sport is very sensitive work.
“It requires one to be very diligent in what you do and how you handle yourself, because you have to set an example”.
On how the appointment came about, Mukurumbira said: “I’m an advisory for UNICEF Initiative on safeguarding children and sport, and also one of the leading non-academic writers on safe sport, which put me within their radar.
“I was then called for interviews with leading safe sport experts from around the world, who also form SSI, which went well and then I got the appointment”.
Mukurumbira is a safeguarding sport strategist, speaker, researcher, trainer and founder of Dominion Sport.
He is an advisory board member for UNICEF UK Initiative on Safeguarding Children in Sport, as well as Safe Sport Africa and a FIFA Guardian Independent Review Panel Member.
He also possesses unique insight and understanding of the global safeguarding in sport ecosystem, with extensive knowledge of the global sport landscape gained from working closely with national, regional, continental and international sport organisations.
It is these tools that he hopes to expand with SSI.
“My goals are pretty straight forward, I am to raise awareness and advocacy on safe sport.
“I hope to help sports organisations formulate policies that help create a safe environment for everyone to enjoy themselves, provide online training to equip, educate and empower them.
“This is an important topic, and I will definitely continue to use my writing to amplify the message,” Mukurumbira said.
Online Reporter