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Ellina Mhlanga-Senior Sports Reporter
ZIMBABWE’S chef de mission for the Tokyo 2020 Paralympic Games, Ignatius Vambe, left the country for Japan yesterday, to attend meetings and prepare for the team’s arrival.
The Games are scheduled for August 24 to September 5.
Vambe is expected to attend several meetings, ahead of the Games, starting with the delegation registration meeting, on August 15.
“The main issue is for the delegation registration meeting, where most of the issues to do with venues, will be discussed and then the final accreditation because the one that was done was to facilitate for travelling of people, because it will act like their visas.
“All other issues, related to the venues and then to the rules, especially the issues to do with doping, they are saying we need to discuss that.
“We are warning our athletes that they should be very careful of what they eat and also be on alert about being given things because you never know what will happen after you eat something.
“We are trying to educate our athletes.
“There is also the issue of activity plans. Before you travel, your activity plan has to be approved.
“On the 15th we are going to be looking at each and every one’s activity plan. They will need to know where athletes will be at, any given time, it’s going to be random,” said Vambe.
The team is expected to leave on August 16 and Vambe said the travelling delegation will be announced in due course.
But, in terms of athletes, Vimbai Zvinowanda and Pamela Shumba, are expected to represent the country in athletics, at the Tokyo 2020 Paralympics.
“We are just reminding them to keep guard, to continue training hard and keep themselves safe because one of the conditions of entry is that you are supposed to have taken two Covid-19 tests, 96 hours before and then 48 hours before (travel), both have to be negative.
“So, we don’t want any last-minute surprises.
“The timelines are now very short, it won’t give you a second chance from the time that you are tested, in the event that you test positive.
“We are grateful that our medical team, they are testing them twice a week at our camp, at least that’s good.
“But, we are just saying each and every one of them, they need to take care of themselves,” said Vambe.
Zimbabwe had hoped to send three athletes.
Unfortunately, Albert Sigele will not be part of the team, due to classification complications.
Zvinowanda and Shumba are in camp in Harare, and they are training at the National Sports Stadium B Arena, under the guidance of coach Mildred Baye.
They got a reprieve to train ahead of their departure.
“The training is still going on, under the same strict Covid-19 guidelines we were given.
“Given that the lockdown has been extended, by another two weeks, it means the same regulations that we were given are still the same that are applying in terms of their training.
“At the moment, it looks like they are going to be the two representatives.
“It’s unfortunate and very traumatic for the boy (Sigele), we are still just trying to talk to him on but all appeals seem to have failed,” said Vambe.
Online Reporter