Chronicle Editor
Sikhumbuzo Moyo, Senior Sports Reporter
AS the eighth edition of the African Union Sports Council Region 5 Under-20 Youth Games draw near, the organising committee this week toured facilities to be used.
The games will be held in the Botswana capital Gaborone from December 7-16.
Besides inspection of the facilities, the organisers have trained local and international volunteers, while a meeting with the Chef de Missions was also held yesterday.
This year’s games will see volleyball being played for the first time alongside other sport codes such as football, netball, tennis, boxing, judo, gymnastics, swimming, athletics, basketball and athletics for the visually impaired.
Due to lack of corporate support, Zimbabwe will be sending a depleted squad of 86 to this year’s games compared to the region’s expectations of 318 per country.
The aims of the games are to encourage young sportspersons to develop and represent their nations and the region, to enable young people from different member states to meet and socialise, thereby developing the required community spirit for regional integration, to develop a spirit of fair play, mutual respect and Olympism, among others.
AUSC Region 5 is the sports arm of the African Union and its main aim is to use sports to achieve peace, integration and unity in Africa with sport as a vehicle of encouraging people to develop and come together, irrespective of colour, economic status, political, class, or gender.
derick.khumalo