Region 5 sports codes confirmed

Collin Matiza

SPORTS codes for the 11th edition of the Region 5 Youth Games programme have now been announced.

The Games, which were supposed to be held this year, will now be held from May 2 to 11, 2025, in Windhoek, Namibia.

The decision was endorsed by the Region 5 Council of Ministers on December 15, 2023 after having made several pertinent observations.

The conscious decision was made upon realising that Namibia was not going to conclude the required government processes leading up to the signing of the Games Protocol Agreement in time. Furthermore, the year 2024 was heavy laden with other key continental and international events, key among them being the Football African Cup of Nations held in Abidjan, Cote d’Ivoire earlier in the year as well as the 13th edition of the African Games held in Accra, Ghana in March.

This is in addition to the Olympic and Paralympic Games scheduled for July and September this year in Paris, France.

Speaking from the Region 5 Headquarters in Gaborone, Botswana yesterday, the Region 5 CEO, Stanley Mutoya announced the following as the sports codes for the Youth Games programme: Athletics (including Athletics for the Visually Impaired T11 to T13 categories); Basketball (including 3×3), Boxing, E-Sports, Football, Judo, Karate, Netball, Swimming, Table Tennis, Tennis and Volleyball (including Beach Volleyball).

Karate and Table Tennis become the new sports on the programme replacing Gymnastics and Taekwondo that will not be part of the Games next year.

The Region 5 Games draw athletes from all 10 Member Countries including non-Region 5 Sadc Member Countries.

“These Games have become a strong pillar of development and a cardinal platform for sporting excellence, from which many athletes have carved their careers,” Mutoya said.

“The likes of Collins Mbesuma and Partson Daka (both of Zambia), Caster Semenya and Wayde Van Niekerk (both of South Africa), Nigel Amos and Naomi Ruele (both of Botswana), Donata Katai (Zimbabwe) and recently Christine Mboma (Namibia) have all been part of the Games and went on to become regional and global sports stars.

“The Games have also stimulated growth in other sectors of the economy including the hospitality industry, small to medium scale enterprises, infrastructure and human capital development. Through the Games, Region 5 governments have collectively invested over US$150million in sports infrastructure development over the last 20 years.

“This is in addition to other non-sport infrastructure investment.

“Through these Games, universities and other tertiary institutions that served as Games Villages have been upgraded.

“Roads have been rehabilitated as have other amenities such as internet connectivity, public transport systems and hotels.

“In addition, technical officials and coaches have had an opportunity to showcase their potential with some of them having gone further to be appointed for international assignments,” Mutoya said.

“The 11th edition of the Region 5 Youth Games becomes significant in more ways than one. These Games will be part of the Region 5 Silver Jubilee celebrations as the organisation attains 25 years of existence in 2024.

“In addition, these will be the first Region 5 Games to place emphasis on climate neutrality by measuring the Games’ carbon footprint. For the first time, the Games will incorporate Special Olympics as part of the Region 5 Inclusion Revolution drive.

“ This resonates with the Region 5 mantra that of being a leading home of innovation and excellence,” Mutoya added.
Region 5 continues to score firsts over the years, consistent with its mantra, that of setting standards.

In 2022, Region 5 introduced E-Sports for the first time and this time it will be the Special Olympics.

Asked on the next steps regarding the Games, Mutoya said: “The respective Regional Sports Confederations have already been contacted. An introductory meeting has been scheduled for the 10th of this month. Thereafter, an inspection visit will be made to Namibia so that respective Confederations identify technical specifications that require attention by the host country. This will assist the host country produce the bill of quantities and scope of work for the facility’s’ rehabilitation.”

Mutoya stated that Region 5 will not require the host country to construct any new facilities for the May 2025 Games. Rather they will only stick to sports codes whose facilities require rehabilitation and refurbishment only.

He further mentioned that Namibia will be required to get all facilities and equipment for the Games ready by March 31, 2025.

“We are on an aggressive drive to strengthen the Games brand in order to attract corporate sector investment. As such, we will be very particular about the image of the Games and will be very strict on adherence to standards and timelines by all role players,” Mutoya emphasised.

Namibia are hosting the 11th edition of the Region 5 Youth Games in place of Mozambique who were scheduled to host the 2024 edition. Namibia were originally scheduled to host the Games in 2026.

However, due to the extensive damage to two cities in Mozambique due to Cyclone Freddy, the government of Mozambique requested and was granted a swap with Namibia to have more time to mobilise the necessary Games modalities. Namibia’s gesture was a demonstration of the virtue of regional solidarity that is synonymous with Region 5 values as espoused in the Constitution and 2024 – 2028 strategic plan.

As sports codes on the official Games programme have now been finalised, all hands will now be on deck to deliver memorable Games in Namibia in 2025.

All role players are expected to lend support to Namibia to ensure successful hosting of the Games, which have already been dubbed, “Los Angeles-via-Cairo-with a stop-over in Maputo”.

This is because, the athletes participating in the Games in Namibia in 2025, will largely be expected to participate in the 2026 Region 5 Games in Maputo, from where some will be expected to qualify for the 2027 African Games in Cairo Egypt, with the hope that some will ultimately qualify for the 2028 Los Angeles Olympic and Paralympic Games.

Members of the Region comprise of Angola, Botswana, Eswatini, Lesotho, Malawi, Mozambique, Namibia, South Africa, Zambia and Zimbabwe.