SRC to grade administrators

Ricky Zililo, in Nyanga
IN a quest to develop the sports industry, the Sports and Recreation Commission (SRC) is embarking on a programme that will make it mandatory for sports associations’ leaders to have certain qualifications.

Speaking on the sidelines of the third edition of the Sports Leaders Institute of Zimbabwe (SLIZ) Summer Camp which ended at Nyanga’s Montclair Hotel yesterday, acting SRC director-general Joseph Muchechetere said standardisation of administrators is in line with Government’s efforts to improve the sports industry.

“From a national perspective now that the Ministry of Sport and Recreation has facilitated approval of the Sports and Recreation policy, we will soon create a regulatory authority which will make sure that we’ve qualified people running the affairs of sporting associations. The authority will regulate things to do with the curriculum of the sports and recreation policy. The standardisation will see sport playing its role towards socio-economic development of the country.

“The national associations will have to conform to applicable laws of the country. It has always been SRC’s desire to have trained administrators in charge of associations but we couldn’t implement that because it wasn’t law. Now that there’s a policy, everything will be done gradually,” said Muchechetere.

He said just like in coaching, they will grade administrators depending on one’s qualifications.

“Obviously implementing this won’t be an overnight thing and the SRC board will meet soon to come up with a roadmap which will state the timeframe for administrators who don’t have requisite qualifications to upgrade. In future if one is not a holder of any administration certificate they will not be allowed to hold office,” said Muchechetere.

Through the standardisation programme, Muchechetere said “fly by night administrators who use sport to grow their profile” will be flushed out.

Starting from next year, the SRC will hold a number of capacity building programmes meant to complement the standardisation exercise.

Muchechetere said once the exercise is in full swing and with associations under competent leaders it will be easier to attract corporate partners.

“The corporate world wants to deal with competent people who they can trust with their funds. Without qualified people heading associations, it becomes difficult to get support from the corporate world,” he said.

– @ZililoR