admin
The Herald, September 12, 1980
THE Government was determined to stop the misuse of funds by soccer promoters, and would, if necessary, audit the books of Zimbabwe Football Association, the Deputy Minister of Youth, Sport and Recreation Mr Cephas Msipa said yesterday.
Mr Msipa told the House of Assembly: “What is happening in ZIFA now is part of the past neglect. We are not able to correct, but we are able to correct the future.”
During committee of supply consideration of the Ministry’s $2,28 million vote, Mr Nelson Mawema (Zanu-PF, Victoria), said “thousands and thousands of dollars” collected at stadiums had not been accounted for.
“Very little, if anything is going to the players . . . where has the money gone?” he asked.
Mr Mawema called for the immediate appointment of a director of sport and the setting up of a Parliamentary committee to investigate maladministration in soccer.
But Mr Msipa said his Minister, Mrs Teurai Ropa Nhongo, was studying the whole matter and would eliminate the malpractices referred to.
He urged members to “give her a chance” before demanding instant action such as the setting up of a committee.
“It is our intention to ensure that there is accountability. If need be we shall have the (ZIFA) books audited,” Mr Msipa said.
The Deputy Minister agreed with the members who said it would be desirable for Zimbabwe to move away from, “anomalies of the past” which left certain sports, notably rugby and cricket, as largely the preserve for whites.
Such sports should be introduced at more schools, he said.
Turning to his Ministry’s plans for the youth of Zimbabwe, Mr Msipa said eight “reasonably large” farms would be acquired in consultation with the Ministry of Lands, Resettlement, and Rural Development.
Each would be run by about 200 young men and women and after initial subsidies, it was the intention they should become self-supporting.
Multi-purpose youth centres would also be established, one in each province, plus a training headquarters.
Initially, the farms and youth centres would work with local clubs and the Ministry of Education and Culture, Mr Msipa said.
The Deputy Minister also said a national youth service plan would be presented to the Government within the next years.
LESSONS FOR TODAY
Sports present an opportunity for people to earn a living, but this can only happen if the sports are being administered by competent and honest people.
The country is currently suspended from all international football activities because the Government took a deliberate decision to ensure that the Zimbabwe Football Association is run properly.
For any sporting discipline to succeed, it requires the dedication of the players. A lot of players in the country especially female players have been failing to realise their full potential because they have not been properly supported as much as their male counterparts.
Youth centres are very critical in identifying and nurturing talent. Centres such as Takashinga cricket club and Aces Youth Soccer Academy have been responsible for producing some of the fine talents in cricket and football, respectively, such as Tatenda Taibu.
Online Reporter