adminSikhumbuzo Moyo Senior Sports Reporter
CONCERNS have been raised over the omission of Stanley Square as a venue for boxing during the African Union Sports Council Region Five Under-20 Games that will be held in Bulawayo in December this year.
The concerns were raised during a meeting of the local organising committee of the Games and the Zanu-PF leadership held at a city hotel yesterday.
Provincial Affairs Minister for Bulawayo Nomthandazo Moyo was also in attendance.
Yesterday’s indaba was the first in a series of meetings organised by the local organising committee and key players in the build up to the Games meant to get everyone having a buy-in into the Games, set to be held in various venues in Bulawayo from December 4-14.
Stanley Square is regarded as the ceremonial home of boxing in the city but the December Games will see boxing held at the Large City Hall, once a dominant facility for both boxing and wrestling.
“Since time immemorial, we have always considered Stanley Square as the home of boxing but we are surprised why there will not be any boxing held there during these Games. As senior residents of Bulawayo, we would like to know why latshiya iStanley Square,” said one delegate.
“Is it because our nearby flats are dirty and therefore will be an embarrassment to the visitors? We grew up watching great boxing fights there”.
In response, the chairperson of the local organising committee, Khonzani Ncube, said they had also targeted Stanley Square for boxing but the regional committee noted a few things and eventually settled for the Large City Hall.
The impending temporary closure of Barbourfields Stadium, home to Bulawayo giants Highlanders, was also another contentious issue with delegates clearly not amused with the proposed move which would see Bosso play their home games at Mandava Stadium in Zvishavane.
However, the delegates were told that the unavoidable closure was likely going to affect just a few games as an agreement had since been reached between the organising committee, the Premier Soccer League and the city council.
The stadia will likely be closed when repairs to the turf drainage at BF begin.
Meanwhile, presenting his report, head of the marketing committee and PSL chief executive officer Kennedy Ndebele said the games were a perfect opportunity to improve the image of the country as a destination for international sporting events and tourism.
“We will also reach out to the diplomatic community to get behind the games. The games will also see an improvement of sporting facilities and employment of youths,” said Ndebele.
Ten countries from the Southern Region and five specially invited countries will converge on Bulawayo and compete in nine different sports codes, namely athletics, athletics for the visually impaired, basketball, boxing, football, netball, swimming, tennis and golf which was previously not part of the Games.
Zimbabwe, as the host, was given the prerogative of adding one more sports code and included golf.
The five specially invited countries are the Democratic Republic of Congo, Mauritius, Madagascar, Seychelles and Tanzania.
Online Reporter