Chronicle Editor
Ricky Zililo, Senior Sports Reporter
THE Sports and Recreation Commission (SRC) has outlined conditions to be followed by low risk sports codes, with the National Athletics Association of Zimbabwe (Naaz) prohibited from holding field events.
Athletics is among sports codes given the green light to resume activities since suspension of events in March because of Covid-19.
As part of the return, athletics will only hold track events, excluding relay competitions.
The other sports codes allowed to resume activities are golf, cycling, triathlon, cricket, angling, polocrosse, tennis, shooting, rowing and equestrian.
Caddies have been banned in golf and players will not have any company on the course.
For tennis, the balls will stay on site and must be sanitised before use.
Game situations have been banned in cricket, while saliva and ball shining in training are also prohibited.
SRC said sports granted authority for games have to “adhere strictly to provisions of Statutory Instrument 115/2020 and related legislation (collectively ‘the Legislation’) concerning the containment of Covid-19 in Zimbabwe, as well as any additional guidelines that may be issued from time to time by the SRC, the Ministry of Sport or their respective national sports associations”.
For monitoring purposes, the sports bodies were yesterday expected to provide the SRC with a list of venues, sports facilities or clubs where their activities will be staged.
SRC said approved sports have to apply to the supreme sports body whenever they intend to hold events.
No approvals will be granted to monthly or yearly competitions.
To ensure that associations adhere to set conditions, enforcement officers will be deployed.
“Inspections will be conducted without notice. If any NSA, sports facility or club is found to be non-compliant, immediate enforcement, including the shutdown of the facility concerned or withdrawal of authority granted to commence activities, will occur.
“To this end, the SRC is carrying out investigations into allegations that certain golf clubs had commenced sporting activities without obtaining the prior authority of the Ministry as required in terms of the legislation. In the event that these allegations are proved, the sports clubs concerned will be disciplined accordingly, including the imposition of penalties or the suspension of the authority granted by the Ministry, above, in respect of any such particular club,” the SRC said.
It said affected athletes, institutions and the general public are encouraged to seek guidance directly from the SRC in writing regarding the provisions of the legislation or implementation.
This, the SRC said, is because the Covid-19 pandemic and its containment may at times require the issuance of pronouncements, directives and other
instruments of law with little or no notice to the affected parties. — @ZililoR.
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