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Ellina Mhlanga Senior Sports Reporter
ZIMBABWE’S 4x100m men’s relay team that had been given a lifeline to try and attempt qualification to the upcoming Olympics this weekend suffered another blow as the trip to Nigeria for the MoC Relays had to be cancelled due to poor communication.
The National Athletics Association of Zimbabwe had accepted an invitation to take part in the meet with indications it will take place on Saturday and Sunday.
And the sponsors of the event were going to cater for everything including the air fares for the team.
But NAAZ director for coaching, talent identification and development Lisimati Phakamile confirmed the changes.
“We could not travel to Nigeria and it’s only because we picked that Nigeria was not responding to our communication in time. We decided as an association that we could not take the risk of going to a competition where the organisers are not communicating back to us.
“We have been to Nigeria before, we know how it becomes very difficult and challenging even if they are saying they are in control and now also a country where people are not communicating.
“So we felt that if we travel to that place where they are not communicating we might be in a lot of trouble and logistical challenges, and problems that we might not be able to solve in time.
“So because of that poor communication and other administrative issues we decided to pull out of that meet,” said Lisimati.
NAAZ had also hoped to field a women’s 4x400m relay team to try and build-up for next year.
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