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Innocent Kurira, Sports Reporter
NATIONAL Athletics Association of Zimbabwe (Naaz) president Tendai Tagara said Bulawayo risked missing out on hosting international athletics meets in 2018, as 300m of the track at White City Stadium remains sub-standard.
The White City Stadium track underwent refurbishment in 2014 when Bulawayo was preparing to host the African Union Sports Council Region 5 Under-20 Youth Games.
A tartan track, state-of-the-art electronic timing devices, a VIP area and a giant monitor were installed in revamping of the stadium, which had become decrepit.
However, contractors of the track failed to meet the deadline for completion of the track, leaving only a 100m stretch meeting international standards.
The remaining 300m was meant to be scrapped and re-laid after the games, but unavailability of funds stalled the project to date.
Tagara said completion of work at White City Stadium was critical to the city playing host to international meets.
“We as Naaz have said Bulawayo is the home of athletics in the country, but our worry is that 300m of the track at the stadium is not up to international standard. In as much as we want to host international events here, it becomes impossible. Next year we have two regional competitions that we expected to host in the city, but we may have to move them to Harare owing to the shortcomings at White City Stadium,” said Tagara.
Bulawayo Athletics Board chairman Manuel Mpofu expressed disappointment at the prospect of events being moved from the city.
“It’s unfortunate that the stadium is not up to international standard. We could be hosting big events, but we are at a disadvantage. The hope is that the stadium gets sorted soon, so that Bulawayo can get its full claim as the home of athletics,” said Mpofu.
“We have the BAB track and Field Championships in March, an event the president wanted to be graced by our friends from the southern African region because most of these countries prefer to use road than air travel.
“Then there are the senior championships in April; this meet was supposed to be held in Bulawayo, but will now be moved to Harare. This is a major event and we are likely to miss out on hosting it unless something is done to the stadium,” said Mpofu.
With the new Government eager to build state-of-the-art sporting facilities, there is hope the stadium will soon meet international standards.
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