HARARE - Is it déjà vu all over again in Zimbabwean sports?
This is a question that has been bothering a lot of sports fans in this country lately, myself included.
For those who have been around long enough to remember how some egocentric individuals caused chaos in some disciplines before leaving them for dead, only to be resuscitated by people with genuine love for the sport, the latest episode of bickering is very depressing and not funny at all.
I have been following keenly the debate generated in rugby in recent weeks, and the clear message from the rugby-loving public to politicians is that “please guys; leave our sport alone and go back from wherever you were!”
Interference from politicians with rugby and most other sports is turning into a disgrace and there can only be one loser, our beloved sporting disciplines.
Politicians just worsen matters.
We need the public to raise a united stance against this political interference and allow administrators, coaches and most of all the public to be represented by the best sportsman and administrators in their representative codes.
Zimbabwean rugby stares into the barrel of a gun, to be wiped out completely because of forces which want to use the sport to gain cheap political mileage.
Their backers are people who have ceased to be relevant, some who have been rejected by those they used to represent, and others who are now a laughing stoke of the community. They don’t represent the rugby public of this country.
Rugby and sports in general should be run by the people who have knowledge about the game and those who have good managerial skills.
This is the message the rugby fraternity is putting across: We are not saying we do not need the help of politicians. We will come to you with our plans to increase budgets and create new sporting infrastructure to develop vibrant sporting culture in our country. We will seek your patronage but leave the management of sports to those who deserve.
And in return, you will give you all the respect you deserve as elected public officials.
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