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Sikhumbuzo Moyo Senior Sports Reporter
THE draw for the African Union Sports Council Region Five Under-20 Games will be held next month, two months ahead of the start of the biennial games set for Bulawayo from December 5 to 14. Local organizing committee’s head of marketing and renowned football administrator Kennedy Ndebele confirmed the developments that will see athletes competing in eight disciplines.
Football will be held at Luveve and Barbourfields Stadiums, athletics and netball at White City Stadium, boxing at the Large City Hall, judo at the ZITF halls three and four, tennis at Bulawayo Athletics Club and swimming at the Bulawayo Swimming Pools.
“We are just finalizing on the actual date for the draw but it’s in October,” said Ndebele.
Meanwhile, 11 countries have since confirmed their participation at this year’s games after meeting the August 31 registration deadline.
The 11 countries are Angola, Botswana, Lesotho, Namibia, South Africa, Malawi, Mozambique, Swaziland, Seychelles, Zambia and host Zimbabwe.
“It is expected that the first countries will arrive here in early December probably just to acclimatize while in terms of numbers, we expect more than 1,300 athletes,” said Ndebele.
Hillside Teachers’ College will be the Games Village for the sporting extravaganza that is expected to be graced by President Mugabe and other heads of state from the region.
The games, originally called called Zone Six Games were inaugurated in 2004 in Mozambique following a Council of Ministers of the Supreme Council for Sport in Africa (SCSA) Zone VI meeting held in 1997 in Cabinda, Angola. On 7 September, 1999 during a special meeting of the Zone Six Supreme Council for Sport in Africa in Johannesburg, it was agreed that the games be held biennially on a compulsory and rotational basis by the member states.
The games have since been organised and hosted by Mozambique 2004, Namibia 2006, South Africa 2008, Swaziland 2010 and Zambia played host to the fifth edition in 2012.
The aim of the event is to use sport to achieve peace, integration and unity in Africa and sport as a vehicle for encouraging people to develop and come together irrespective of colour, economic status, political inclination, class or gender. The games bring together different people from all over Southern Africa, who not only compete for medals but build lasting friendships, during and after the games.
The event promotes inter-cultural dialogue among the participating countries.
Sport has the power to unite people and knows no language, culture or race. It speaks to youth and can create hope.
It is powerful in breaking down racial barriers.
Online Reporter