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Shelly Guni Sports Reporter
RAINBOW Amateur Netball League secretary-general, Moses Gukurume, says he is excited about the return of the sport.
They successfully hosted their dry run tournament at Morris Depot in Harare on Saturday. The tournament was sponsored to the tune of US$20 000 by Glow Petroleum.
ZRP Team were crowned champions, after a 27-24 win over Glow Petroleum, in the final.
They received US$1 350 while the silver medallists received US$1 100.
Defending champions Correctional Queens finished third, after a 14-15 defeat to Glow Petroleum, in an exciting semi-final showdown.
“It’s a very exciting development, we have been absent from the courts for a very long time,” said Gukurume.
“We just wanted to test our preparedness, in running the league, and to see how much it costs to run it.
“What might be needed is to have our girls go back into shape, for them to prepare for the beginning of the season.’’
Recently, the newly-registered Premier Netball League hosted their inaugural launch tournament at White City Stadium, in Bulawayo.
Eighteen teams took part in the event and the winners did not get any cash prizes which means RANL, as of now, remain the league offering financial benefits.
“We are very excited because, as you know, there are lot of developments in the netball circles,’’ said Gukurume.
“With the coming in of PNL, we thought we were going to lose most of our teams but it’s exciting that we retained most of our powerhouses.’’ RANL are still hoping for a favourable response, from the Zimbabwe Netball Association, after they resubmitted their papers for recognition.
Gukurume said ZINA have been changing goal posts.
“We write to them, they give us a certain response, go and correct this, we do that, the next thing they come up with something else,’’ he said.
“And, the Sports Commission is mum on this.
“There are a lot of people who are at the Sports Commission, I’m not saying all, but some of them, I think, are (compromised).
“It’s sad, we wrote to the Zimbabwe Netball Association more than six times now, and their response has always been negative.
“But, as RANL we are unfazed, we always exercise our constitutional rights. We have got rights that are enshrined in our constitution.
“We will continue to play, whether ZINA or the Sports Commission (do not recognise us) because, at one point, this nonsense will come to an end.”
He admitted that the impasse was not helping the players.
“It’s not good for the development of the sport,’’ he said.
“The sad thing is we are looking at it from the administrator’s point of view. Let’s stop that for a while and start to look at the athletes themselves.
“Whether there is PNL or RANL, what we want to create is a landscape whereby the girl child benefits, from playing netball.
“We are supposed to have a meeting with the Deputy Minister of Sport (Tino Machakaire) so it will be unfortunate, if I reveal names at the moment.
“But, we are going to name and shame people because it is very sad to see how netball has died in this country, because of one or two people.’’
Best Player (s): Beaula Hlungwane and Sheila Mpofu.
Golden Hand: Pauline Jani
Best Umpire: Terrence Madziva
Best Coach: Talent Museka
Rokkie: Peace Vundla
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