Online Reporter
Petros Kausiyo
Zimpapers Sports Hub
THE National Athletics Association of Zimbabwe and ZIFA are over the moon following revelations by the Government that they had sealed a Memorandum of Understanding on sport with Belarus.
NAAZ, currently riding on a crest following the heroics of the men’s 4×400 metre team at the World relays where they came fifth in Botswana last weekend, are relishing the opportunities that will be borne out of the MoU.
Similarly, the country’s flagship sporting association – ZIFA – have been blown away by the news of the signing ceremony that took place in Minsk, Belarus on Monday.
Coincidentally, the MoU came just a week after ZIFA on their part had initiated discussions on the possibilities of collaborating with the Belarus football federation.
And on Monday, the Minister of Sport, Recreation Arts and Culture Anselem Sanyatwe his Belarusian counterpart, Sergei Kovalchuk sealed the landmark agreement, which paves the way for Zimbabwean athletes and officials to benefit from Belarus’s rich sporting heritage, particularly in tennis, football, swimming, and athletics. Sanyatwe expressed excitement about the opportunities the MoU presents for Zimbabwe’s sporting fraternity, describing it as: “A significant milestone for Zimbabwean sport.
“It opens doors for our athletes and officials to gain exposure to world-class training facilities, specialised coaching and international experience.
“It also fosters knowledge exchange and potential investments in sports infrastructure. Our athletes will now be able to tap into the wealth of expertise Belarus has developed over decades,” Sanyatwe said.
Echoing these sentiments, Belarusian Minister of Sport, Sergei Kovalchuk, said the agreement underscores Belarus’ commitment to nurturing international sporting partnerships.
“We are delighted to welcome Zimbabwean athletes and officials to Belarus.
“Sport is a universal language, and through this collaboration, we aim to share our experience in athlete development, coaching and sports science. We believe this partnership will not only strengthen Zimbabwean sports, but also foster lasting friendships and cultural exchange between our nations,” Kovalchuk said.
That landmark development has naturally thrilled both NAAZ president Tendayi Tagara and his ZIFA counterpart Nqobile Magwizi.
Both men shared their excitement in separate interviews with Zimpapers Sports Hub.
“The National Athletics Association of Zimbabwe has received with both excitement and gratitude, news that the Government of Zimbabwe and the Government of Belarus have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on sport,’’ Tagara said.
“We understand from reports that the agreement, signed in Minsk, paves the way for Zimbabwean athletes and officials to benefit from Belarus’s rich sporting heritage, particularly in tennis, football, swimming, and athletics.
“As NAAZ we applaud Minister Sanyatwe and the Government for this initiative which we believe is a significant milestone towards the growth of sport in Zimbabwe.
“We look forward with excitement at the prospects of seeing our athletes and technical officials benefitting from the career pathways that such agreements create and we are confident that Zimbabwean sportspersons will certainly benefit from the capacity building programmes to be derived from such partnerships.
“We hope this will open avenues for camps in that part of Europe where our athletes can base and participate across the continent.
“NAAZ welcomes such initiatives that provide a platform to grow into professionals, to our athletes, the majority of whom are plucked through our local talent identification programmes,’’ Tagara said. Magwizi shared similar sentiments.
“As ZIFA we welcome the landmark MoU on sport, which was on Monday signed by the Governments of Zimbabwe and Belarus.
“We acknowledge with joy the historic MoU, which the Minister of Sport, Recreation, Arts and Culture Lt. General (Rtd) Ambassador A. N. Sanyatwe, and his Belarusian counterpart, Sergei Kovalchuk signed in Minsk.
“We would like to pay tribute to Minister Sanyatwe and the Government for this initiative,’’ Magwizi said.
“As ZIFA, what makes it even more exciting for us is that during the occasion of the 76th FIFA Congress in Vancouver, Canada, I met and interacted with Mr Yauheni Buloichyk president of the Football Federation of Belarus (ABFF) and discussed areas of mutual co-operation.
“We are thrilled that Minister Sanyatwe and the Government on their part have extended the relations between Zimbabwe and Belarus to cover sport, leveraging the already cordial relationship between the two nations.
“As the nation’s football mother body, ZIFA believes that with significant milestones and bilateral agreements such as this MoU, our football and sport in general is poised for accelerated growth.
“Zimbabwean footballers, coaches and officials could make use of the facilities and opportunities that partnerships with European countries such as Belarus offer,’’ Magwizi said.
The MoU came just three days before Belarus received a major sporting reprieve.
This is because it emerged that the International Olympic Committee executive board no longer recommends any restrictions on the participation of Belarusian athletes, including teams, in competitions governed by international federations and international sports event organisers. According to AIPS reports from Lausanne on Thursday, the IOC’s EB lifted the recommended conditions of participation for international federations and international sports event organisers of February 28, 2022 and March 28, 2023 as they relate to Belarus and Belarusian athletes, including the protective measures.
As the IOC continue to navigate the ever-increasing complex realities and consequences of the current geopolitical context, including the rising number of wars and conflicts, and amidst growing global instability, the movement must uphold its mission to preserve a values-based and truly global sporting platform that provides hope to the world.
