Online Reporter
Zimpapers Sports Hub
SOME people officiating local athletics competitions have relied on personal judgement instead of applying international rules, responses gathered during a NAAZ training course have revealed.
The gap emerged during the National Athletics Association of Zimbabwe’s Technical Officials Education and Certification System courses being rolled out across the country.
World Athletics Level One lecturer Enias Nhoro, who is facilitating the courses, said the programme focused on the interpretation and application of rules.
Nhoro said responses from participants showed some had used opinion “instead of following international rules” at competitions they handled.
He said the participants were responding positively to the training and were ready to apply what they had learnt.
No specific competition or result was cited as having been affected.
NAAZ director of coaching Phakamile Lisimati said the association had taken the programme into the provinces after noting growing interest from people seeking training as coaches and technical officials.
“So, as an association, we believe that going to all these provinces that are hosting the TOECS courses is us reaching down to the grassroots. That is our main point,” said Lisimati.
Manicaland hosted the opening course last weekend before the second three-day programme ended at Jameson High School in Kadoma yesterday.
Harare will host the next course from Saturday to Monday, with the fourth scheduled for Mashava from August 25 to 27.
Mufaro Jonasi of Karoi Junior School said the course had brought participants up to date with World Athletics rules.
“This course has been very helpful in the sense that it has given us updated rules which are used by World Athletics,” said Jonasi.
He said the training had also helped participants understand changes to the rules and how available equipment and technology could be used at school and club competitions.
According to NAAZ, those who successfully complete the course qualify as national referees, the entry point towards international certification.
