Chronicle Editor
Mandla Ncube, Sports Reporter
THE Zimbabwe Chess Federation is counting on their selection by the International Chess Federation (Fide) to play a pivotal role in the growth of chess in country.
ZCF was this week selected by Fide as one of five African countries that will represent Africa in the first ever chess Paralympics scheduled for Russia in August.
“This is very encouraging, the world Chess federation saw it fit that we represent the continent at the Olympiads, Zimbabwe met the selection criteria by having some strong disabled players in the African continent, and considering that only five African teams were chosen to represent the continent,” said Zimbabwe Chess Federation communications director, Thabo Elisha said.
In a quest to give life to the sector which has for years remained in the peripheries of the sport, the federation made efforts of compiling a database with a sole purpose of capturing the data of all chess players living with disabilities across the country.
Having faced challenges of low take up with regards to growing the disabled’s game, however, with the world chess governing body — Fide having picked Zimbabwe to represent Africa at the Chess Paralympics’ inaugural year, the Zimbabwe Chess Federation hopes to exploit the opportunity in their efforts to include the sector into Zimbabwe’s mainstream chess.
“The president of ZCF Collen Tongowona has made it clear in the Vision for ZCF as outlined in the 10-year development plan, that the federation’s mandate to coordinate the multi sectoral approach to chess in Zimbabwe and is inclusive of the disabled players and this nomination couldn’t have come at a better time, moving forward we are going to be taking chess to disabled communities as well as having Chess tournaments for the disabled,” said Elisha.
The development has pleased Zimbabwe National Paralympic Committee president, Michael Bulagango stating how big it is for athletes with disabilities to be afforded such opportunities.
“It is a great pleasure, we are happy if our athletes with disabilities participate in a variety of sporting disciplines because not all people want athletes, basketball or racing the more we are open to many sports the better for the nation and the better for us, it’s a very welcome development on our part,” said Bulagango.
Zimbabwe will be expected to field five players with at least one female player in the team.
Online Reporter