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Sikhumbuzo Moyo Senior Sports Reporter
THE Minister of Sport, Arts and Culture, Andrew Langa has called for the standardisation of coaching policies in the region to ensure success at international level.
In a speech read on his behalf by the Permanent Secretary, Thokozile Chitepo, at the official opening of the African Union Sports Council Region Five, formerly Zone Six, executive meeting at a local hotel yesterday morning, Minister Langa said that was the way to go.
The meeting is being attended by chief executive officers, director-generals and chairpersons of sports councils from the 10 member-states in the region.
It is being held ahead of the Council of Ministers’ meeting that is set for Bulawayo at the same hotel tomorrow where Zimbabwe is set to take over chairmanship of the region from Zambia. Sports ministers from the region are expected to arrive in the country this morning.
Minister Langa said he had no doubt that standardisation of coaching with an emphasis on continual self improvement would strengthen the region’s performance at international events. He also said there was a need to include programmes dedicated to the participation of women in sport in the region.
“It should not just be a measure to fulfil a quota but should spread its influence to the lower levels where it touches the performances of women sport and promotes the involvement of the girl child in sport. Let us push for such programmes until it becomes the norm more than an exception to have women in sport leadership,” said Minister Langa.
Canada became the first country in the world to have more women athletes at the 1996 Olympic Games in Atlanta, USA after they sent 154 female athletes compared to 153 male athletes.
Speaking in his welcome remarks at the opening ceremony, chairperson of the executive committee, Vetumbuavi Veii, congratulated Zimbabwe for establishing a separate Ministry of Sport, Arts and Culture.
“In our region we always had low opinion of sport. You find governments prioritising other portfolios at the expense of sport without realising that sport can contribute immensely to the national development and I really want to congratulate Zimbabwe for establishing a stand-alone ministry and hope that this move will take sport to a higher level,” said Veii, who is a Namibian national.
He said it was also important to note that there was no greater force that could bring different people together like sport and said the sooner other governments start to realise the importance of sport, the better for the African continent.
Zimbabwe was represented at the meeting by the chairperson of the Sport and Recreation Commission board, prominent lawyer in the city Joseph James, acting SRC director-general Patience Kabanga, games’ local organizing committee chief executive officer Henry Manzungu.
SRC director-general Charles Nhemachena came in his capacity as the chairperson of the finance and marketing commission.
Bulawayo’s provincial education director, Dan Moyo welcomed the delegates to the city.
Online Reporter