Chronicle Editor
Lovemore Dube, [email protected]
BULAWAYO Basketball Association, fed up with third-party arrangements over the use of Bulawayo Club of the Disabled Courts (BCD), has set its eyes on leasing the property from Bulawayo City Council.
The Bulawayo City Council closed bidding to lease out the facility and several others in the city yesterday three weeks after advertising several properties as available for new owners.
BCD has over the years been run by individuals who have gone on to avail it to the basketball fraternity for a fee every weekend when the season is on. Recently, the Bulawayo City Council shut out Khanyisile who were running the facility over unpaid rates.
Joe Mujuru, the Basketball Union of Zimbabwe president yesterday told Zimpapers Sports Hub that they had backed the provincial basketball board in its bid. He said the move would see Bulawayo basketball have a home like athletics, rugby, Highlanders, cricket, Bulawayo Chiefs and other clubs resident at sports centres in the city.
“We have assisted as Basketball Union of Zimbabwe so that Bulawayo Basketball Association gets a permanent home not through third parties. We have also got support from the Sport and Recreation Commission and Wheelchair Basketball Association,” said Mujuru who is a Bulawayo resident and past chairman of the provincial body.
He said having a place of their own would be good for Bulawayo basketball. “It is closest to being a standard facility. Having the facility will help develop coaches, technical officials, players and the game,” said Mujuru.
He lamented the high cost of running basketball if the facility is owned by a third party. “It is expensive on the association and clubs if there is a third-party arrangement. The average person cannot access the facility,” said Mujuru.
Bulawayo Basketball Association, president responsible for technical affairs, Tinodashe Gumbo said getting the facility would be a great step towards improving the standard of the game in the province.
“This will help in the development of players and the game,” said Gumbo. The sport has found itself at times playing at outdoor facilities. So many of the city’s clubs have deserted sport and recreation to fulltime bar activity, leaving residents without close places for their convenience.
Most of the clubs have seen huge investment in the bar areas instead of sports fields. BAC remains the most accommodating institution with several sporting disciplines happening there.
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