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Ricky Zililo, Senior Sports Reporter
FORMER Highlanders and national team midfielder Richard Choruma has enrolled for a number of sports administration courses to capacitate himself to contest the next Zifa elections.
A diminutive midfielder with numerous championship medals won with Highlanders at the turn of the millennium, Choruma (40), is among the directors of Zifa Bulawayo Metropolitan Province Division Two side Sabona Mzilikazi.
Choruma said he decided to take up sport administration courses after realising that not all former footballers can be coaches.
“What I know is that I can’t make an influence if I’m outside the system and that is why I decided to capacitate myself by enrolling for sports management programmes since 2012. In most countries former footballers are respected and play a part in developing the game, but here it’s something else. In Zimbabwe we have exorbitant fees for coaching programmes compared to other countries. For example, in Zimbabwe it costs about $1 000 for a Caf A Licence, while in some neighbouring countries it’s less than half this amount,” said Choruma.
“How then can former footballers help in terms of coaching from grassroots to the topflight when course fees hinder us from participating? There’s a general feeling that some people want to shut out former footballers by imposing such restrictive fees, yet the same people have faults and are not developing the game. My passion is in playing a role in football development, hence my decision to avail myself for a position within the Zifa Bulawayo Province board,” he said.
Choruma will be attending two sports management courses starting on Friday.
“I will be part of the Sports and Recreation Commission’s Level Two management course in Harare. On Monday next week, I will attend an international sports management course facilitated by a sports development organisation from Finland, Liike, in partnership with the Sports Leaders Institute of Zimbabwe (Sliz).
“Hopefully more former footballers will see the value of taking part in such programmes to improve their management skills. I have been funding myself in these programmes and it is my hope that one day we will have organisations like Zifa subsidising course fees,” Choruma said.
Zifa Southern Region Division One League side Talen Vision are sending at least three members of their board to the Sliz/Liike workshop.
@ZililoR
Online Reporter