ZKU get down to business

Sports Reporter
The Zimbabwe Karate Union (ZKU) has taken the audacious step of tackling the often contentious issue of athletes selection into the national team by drafting a policy for semi-contact karate.
The policy, which is outlined in a 12-page document, has been sent to the union’s affiliates for review, after which it would be put to an online vote for adoption.
It covers areas such as eligibility of all karatekas, selection criteria and procedure.
“The rationale behind this document is to ensure that we have the best possible athletes drafted into the national team,” said ZKU president Joe Rugwete.
“As you might be aware, selection has always been a contentious subject in Zimbabwean sport, and we want to remove any element of bias and controversy from the sport,” he said.
If adopted, the new policy will lead to the creation of a selection panel that will have “absolute discretion in the selection of athletes onto the national team”.
“The National Team Selection Panel shall endeavour at all times to be fair and it shall found its decisions on universal principles of administrative justice and on the selection criteria set out.
“Where it deems fit, the National Team Selection Panel may give additional feedback on the selection process to non-selected athletes, but it shall not be obligated to give detailed reasons for any selection decision to any athlete . . .” reads part of the draft document.
Rugwete said they tried to guarantee the independence of the selection panel.
“We gave them autonomy because they have to be responsible for whatever results that come out.
“They are free to make decisions and do whatever they want to do, but will be answerable to the technical board, which will be headed by the technical director, and they will be answerable to the executive,” he said.
The draft policy also covers the eligibility of all athletes and the minimum requirements at provincial and national level, the selection criteria itself, notification and removal of athletes from national squads.
“The most important thing one has to understand is that at the moment, this is still a draft policy.
“We have sent it out to all our members for review, after which they will give us their feedback and it will be put out for voting before it is adopted.”