GOVERNMENT is set to have concluded and released the Zimbabwe sports policy before the National Youth Games begin in August this year, Sports, Arts and Culture minister Andrew Langa said yesterday during celebrations of the first anniversary of the Heath Streak Cricket Academy.
BY THANDIWE MOYO
The sports policy aims to address, among other issues, doping, sports medicine, infrastructure, sport education, funding in sport and sport for all.
“I would like to assure this gathering that the policy will be out before the National Youth Games begin in August this year.
The Treasury availed funds to my ministry for the successful completion of the national sports policy,” Langa said.
He said the establishment of the Heath Streak Academy on May 25 last year had ensured that cricket was accessible to children in the western suburbs as well.
“The game of cricket in Bulawayo has surely been revolutionised, ensuring that the sport is made accessible to every school in the region. This is in-sync with our national sport and recreation policy which is at its final stages,” he said.
About 120 schools are beneficiaries of the Heath Streak Academy which which also unveiled Old Mutual as their title sponsor.
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Vice-President Emmerson Mnangagwa, who was the guest of honour at the event, said in addition to the aims of the sports policy, sport ess also identified in the Zimbabwe Agenda for Sustainable Socio-Economic Transformation (ZimAsset).
“Sport is expected to make a significant contribution to our social and economic development. The Ministry of Sport is currently consulting stakeholders and once this process is through, the draft policy will be placed before Cabinet for consideration and approval,” he said.
Mnangagwa said the inclusion of other stakeholders in the establishment and refurbishment of the academy “resonates well with the thrust of ZimAsset which, among other issues, seeks to promote public private partnerships.
“I, therefore, encourage our sports delivery institutions to continually engage public and private sector partners for the development of sport so we can move away from the current scenario where sport is viewed as a past time activity only.”
Zimbabwe won the tri-nations tournament featuring Botswana and South Africa after beating the latter by 26 runs in the final of the tournament.
