Treat all sports codes equally

Lazarus Sauti

Africans have passion for major sports disciples such as football, cricket and to some extent rugby and because of this reason, not enough is being done to support other sports codes – the so-called minority sports.

After meeting talented young female Zimbabwe motocross rider TanyaradzwaMuzinda and her mentor, three-time world women’s motocross champion Stefy Bau from Italy at her offices in Harare recently, Deputy Minister of Sports, Arts and Culture Tabeth Kanengoni-Malinga acknowledged that minority sports codes have been heavily undermined.

Hon. Malinga said, “There are some sports codes that have gone unnoticed and have been undermined…”

Undermining minority sports is not only a problem in Zimbabwe but a challenge being face in most African countries. Because of this, some countries within and across Africa are sending few athletes to the Olympic Games.

Attention is given to elite sports codes and this is also hindering the development of Africa as a sporting powerhouse.

To solve this problem, equal attention should therefore be given to the so-called minority sports codes if the continent is to realise its full potential as a sporting powerhouse and it should be the goal of ministries responsible for sports in the continent to make sure that all sports codes are treated equally.

Zimbabwe’s Minister of Sports, Arts and Culture Andrew said a lot of work needs to be done to support minority sports codes.

“A lot of work needs to be done for the sporting sector to gain confidence from the corporate world. We have to acknowledge our collective responsibility… and boldly face the challenges with a fore head of a flint to resolve it,” said Hon. Langa.

Hon Langa therefore urged stakeholders in sports to look at the talent the continent has in other sports and groom it.

The costs associated with minority sports continue to hinder its development and serves to discourage widespread participation. Therefore, it is necessary to encourage greater financial support.

This means African governments and critical players in the sporting arena should work hard on the issue of funding. The private sector together with national sporting bodies must be encouraged to develop collaborative relationships which can realise the economic value and viability of minority sports codes.

More so, national sporting bodies and affiliates should undertake fund-raising initiatives which will contribute immensely to the development of all sporting disciplines.

It is also a noble idea for governments to unveil a raft of tax incentives that could lure corporate support for minor sports and spur growth in several sporting disciplines across the continent. This means governments should create conducive environments to attract sponsors so as to effectively develop minority sports disciplines.

The effective dissemination of information is also a very important function in the promotion of minority sports. Thus, to ensure effective dissemination of information and to sustain broad interest in minority sports, it is necessary that wider coverage and promotion of sporting activities become a priority.

Media should therefore increase the publicity and exposure given to minority sporting activities to stimulate public support and participation.

More so, to effectively improve minority sports, training and development opportunities must be provided to sports practitioners.

Consequently, governments must establish programmes for the provision of technical support; training must be provided for officials to enhance their capacity to manage minority sporting activities; and specific attention must be given to develop resource materials (manuals, coaching kits and aids) which will assist in improving knowledge of sports practitioners.

African governments should ensure equal treatment of sports codes and ensure that the sporting industry contributes to the economic growth, employment creation and poverty reduction respectively.

For this to be successfully, governments in consultation with other stakeholders must craft sports policies that seek to facilitate the development of minority sports codes; to integrate minority sports codes into national cultures; to guide the development of facilities and sporting infrastructure of minority sports codes; and to influence the formulation of strategies and programmes to facilitate the development and management of the minority sports.

The availability of infrastructure influences public participation.

Accordingly, attention should be paid to the availability of minority sport facilities and it is the duty of governments to ensure the availability of these facilities.