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FEDERATION of International Hockey (FIH) chief executive officer Kelly Fairweather has challenged the Hockey Association of Zimbabwe (HAZ) to work towards getting at least one team to the 2018 Youth Olympic Games in Buenos Aires, Argentina, as part of the sport’s revival.
Fairweather, who was on a two-day visit to Zimbabwe, said the world federation was willing to help HAZ in capacity building and underlined the need to get the Magamba Hockey Stadium repaired.
A former South African national team coach and coaching director, Fairweather is the highest ranking hockey official to visit Zimbabwe since the turn on the century.
He pointed out that while FIH are not able to fund the repairs at Magamba, the international federation was ready to use its contacts and help Zimbabwe move ahead with reviving the sport.
“I didn’t know what to really expect when I was on my way here but I must say that I’ve come away from these one-and-a-half days full of enthusiasm, full of optimism for hockey in Zimbabwe.
“I think fundamentally, when you’ve a sound youth base for any sport in any country, then you’ve something that you can work on.
“That’s the strong message that I got from the people in Hockey Association of Zimbabwe. I heard that hockey at youth levels and schools is very strong and obviously we’ve to build on that,” said Fairweather. – Sportszone
Online Reporter