The Sunday News
WHILE the just ended Region Five under-20 Games have been touted as having left an infrastructural legacy for Bulawayo, the human resources front has not been left out as several empowering courses in the various sporting activities were held throughout the duration of the Games.
Cosafa managed to hold a Fifa coaching course for young and emerging coaches and it was the same for basketball.
The International Boxing Association had also lined up a referees and judges course to be held before the Games but because of delays it had to be postponed and was only held last Monday.
The AIBA Star One three-day course saw 10 referees and judges from across the country that had done duty in the Youth Games participating.
Zimbabwe Boxing Federation secretary general, Goodwill Sibanda said John Waith of Wales and Lars Bovil of Denmark jetted in for the course which will be a springboard for local referees to be appointed in regional, continental and Olympic matches.
He said it was the first AIBA course that local referees have undertaken and it will not only improve their performance locally but at regional games and the Olympics.
“All the 10 coaches are national referees and had reached the ceiling as far as local courses are concerned and now they are doing the AIBA Star One course, which if they pass will allow them to take part in the Olympics and various other such Games.
“The course was supposed to be held before the Games but there were delays hence the decision to do it after the sporting showcase had ended,” said Sibanda.
“It is the first course being held by AIBA in the country and it will go a long way in enhancing the skills of our referees and judges.”
Sibanda said there were several changes that were being made to boxing rules and the course will introduce these adjustments to the local officials.
“To be awarded the Star One certificate the referees will have to pass the assessments that would be made. The course comprised of lectures, demonstrations, discussions and active participations. The assessments are both theoretical and practical. The results of the course are expected at the end of January,” he said.
Moses Makhula and Dennis Mudara are the only Zimbabwean referees and judges that held AIBA qualifications as they had both attained an AIBA diploma. Makhula went on to acquire the Star Two course in Italy.
Mudara, who has officiated at the All Africa Games and in various boxing matches in Kenya, South Africa, Botswana, Malawi and Swaziland, said the course would change the standard of officiating in the country for the better.
“It is something that we have always been advocating for in the country for a long time and I am glad, it has been done. It will improve officiating and open up huge opportunities for the officials to learn more as they attend and take part in various games,” said Mudara.
Officials that took part in the course include Ezwell Ndlovu, Steven Masiyambumbi, Jim Mphalale, Festus Dumbu, Taonga Muzhanyi, Hama Mafinwa, Enety Chenge, Sarudzai Doroma, Willard Mupfurirwa and James Mudara.
Sibanda said they were happy to see female referees (Chenge and Doroma) taking part in the course as it would encourage other women to take up boxing.
Bovil said local referees still had a lot to learn and the course was the beginning of raising their knowledge in officiating and it was good the participants were open-minded and eager to learn.
“They showed great potential and were ready to learn, which for me shows they can attain higher qualifications,” he said.
