adminRicky Zililo Sports Reporter
THE country’s supreme sports body, the Sports and Recreation Commission (SRC) yesterday challenged the National Athletics Association of Zimbabwe (Naaz) to discipline its technical officials who went on strike at the Zimbabwe National Youth Games.
In a telephone interview from Harare yesterday, the SRC communications officer Tirivashe Nheweyembwa described the officials’ action to down tools on the eve of the closing ceremony of the 11th edition of the Zimbabwe National Youth Games as appalling.
The Zimbabwe National Youth Games’ programme was affected when athletics technical officials downed tools at the National University of Science and Technology on the final day of competitions. It has become a tradition for the officials to go on strike at the youth games protesting against non-payment of allowances.
The officials wanted to be paid their allowances before the end of the games.
All sporting disciplines’ finals, save for men’s and women’s soccer, had completed their programmes by end of day on Friday but the boycott by athletics officials led to the abandonment of a number of events.
“The behaviour of the athletics technical officials at the just ended Zimbabwe National Youth Games was deplorable to say the least. What is even saddening is that on the opening day the technical officials made an undertaking to ensure that the games ran smoothly.
“The officials by downing tools put the games into disrepute. We made an undertaking to pay them their allowances on given days and we were therefore taken by surprise when they decided to strike. We are yet to receive a report from Naaz and we expect to see Naaz disciplining their officials who embarrassed everyone,” said Nheweyembwa.
On the way forward, he said SRC was drafting “tight” contracts which will bind technical officials to avoid similar strikes in future.
There were unconfirmed reports that some of the ring leaders of the industrial action wanted to spoil Bulawayo’s plans to play host to next year’s Zone Six Games.
Some officials were overheard at the games criticising Bulawayo’s state of preparedness to host the regional competitions.
Nheweyembwa however commended Bulawayo for successfully hosting the 11th edition of the Zimbabwe National Youth Games but pointed out that there were some things that needed to be improved.
“The critics can say whatever they want but as SRC we are convinced that Bulawayo has the capacity to play host to the Zone Six Games,” he said.
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