adminand usage of sports facilities in the country
The sports associations are forced to make way for non-sport gatherings in the various sporting facilities meant for games.
Over the past few years, the various sporting organisations, including football and basketball have been denied usage of facilities such as the National Sport Stadium and the City Sports Centre, with the owners preferring to give top priority to churches and other non-sporting gatherings who offer “better packages”.
The concerns were raised at the Sports Commission’s third quarterly meeting with their affiliates.
Sports Commission’s sport governance officer, Charity Nyamayedenga, indicated that the facilities were under a different ministry and they did not have overall control over their usage.
“The major issue highlighted by the national associations was the issue of facilities, for instance the National Sports Stadium.
“It (the NSS) is managed by the Ministry of Public Works and at times they would rather give the facility to churches who would have paid larger sums of money while the national associations do not have the money.
“The City Sports Centre of late has been used by a church group. The national associations are not getting access to sporting facilities,” said Nyamayedenga.
Over the years sporting disciplines such as basketball have had to resort to open courts with most of their games disturbed by the rains as the league runs during the rainy season while the indoor
Sports Centre is used for non sporting gatherings.
Only two weeks ago the Premier Soccer League game between CAPS United and Motor Action was moved from the National Sports Stadium as football was forced to make way for a church convention.
Nyamayedenga said the meeting was meant to update associations on the activities that are happening.
“It was our quarterly meeting we hold as SRC with the national sport associations.
“We have four meetings a year and this was the third meeting.
“The aim is to educate each other and share on what is happening in the sporting fraternity and the developments within the national associations.
“The national associations update the SRC on what events they have done and the events they intend to do,” said Nyamayedenga.
Nyamayedenga said several issues were discussed, including the forthcoming Annual National Sports Awards.
“There was a report on the just ended All-Africa Games presented by the chef de mission.
“We discussed the Ansa going to take place in December reminding the national associations that they should submit their nominees.
“There was also a presentation by the women and sport foundation to educate national associations on the role of women in sports and encourage the associations to take women as their counterparts and the need to develop and support the girl child and women in sport.
“The other issue highlighted were about the national Youth Games because there are some associations that cannot participate at the Games because of the problem of funding but they may approach SRC.”
The meeting was attended by 43 national sport associations.
However, the Zimbabwe Chess Federation, Zimbabwe Gymnastics Association and the Zimbabwe Aquatic Union failed to attend the meeting.
Online Reporter