Zim sends depleted squad to AUSC

Sikhumbuzo Moyo, Senior Sports Reporter
ZIMBABWE will be sending a hugely depleted squad of 86 to this year’s edition of the Africa Union Sports Council Region Five Under-20 Youth Games that are set to be held in Gaborone, Botswana in December.

This is against an expected figure of 318 as per region’s expectations but limited funding largely due to lack of corporate support has seen the figure being drastically reduced with six disciplines dropped from the travelling squad.

“This year we are going to have a total team contingent of 86 athletes and officials and this figure was agreed upon by us and the government through the Ministry of Youth, Sport, Arts and Recreation. The following teams will travel to Botswana: athletics, athletics for the visually impaired, girls football, netball, swimming and tennis.

“Sadly and owing to resource constraints, we could not take the following disciplines; basketball, boxing, gymnastics, judo, volleyball and boys football,” said the Sports and Recreation Commission’s spokesperson Tirivashe Nheweyembwa.

In the Games held in Luanda, Angola last year, Zimbabwe sent in a contingent of 227 athletes and officials and managed to bring home a number of gold medals from individual and team sports.

“Although we have a small team we remain hopeful that our team will acquit itself well and bring us home the medals in their numbers. As Zimbabwe we have fared very well in these Games ever since their inception and we are also happy that some of the athletes who once participated in these Games have graduated to a higher level of sport development and competition. This positive outcome from the Games has given us the urge to continually participate in them as there are tangible results arising out of them though we are mindful of the need to do more for the benefit of not only the young people but the nation as a whole”, said Nheweyembwa.

The SRC spokesperson said past performances by Zimbabwe had been encouraging given inadequate resources especially at preparatory stage which is very crucial.

“We must applaud the efforts of government which has bankrolled the Games since their inception, there is no edition of the Games that we have failed to attend. While there are some positives which can be drawn from the government’s unquestionable commitment to the Games, let me hasten to say that throughout the world, sport is also to a large extent supported by the corporate world, something which we see as happening at a very low scale in this country especially at junior level which is the foundation of sport development. It is therefore our clarion call to the corporate world to consider partnering us in this noble initiative which does not only bring glory to our beautiful country but also sets it on a higher pedestal with respect to international image and global appeal,” said Nheweyembwa.