By Trevor Makonyonga
The Sports and Recreation Commission (SRC) has granted an exemption to sport codes to conduct specific activities to fulfil critical international and domestic tournaments and events.
The relevant NSA’s, including ZIFA, have been informed by the SRC although there is nothing on the resumption of the football league.
Zimbabwe Football Association has had approval for the Black Rhinos Queens Football Club to resume training in preparation for its participation in the inaugural COSAFA Women’s Champions League to be held in August 2021. The other approval is for FC Platinum to resume training, prepare and participate in the CAF Champions League. The last exemption is for football officials travelling for FIFA/CAF Matches as, “referee for the Under-20 World Cup Qualifiers – eSwatini vs Mozambique on the 7th of August 2021 and as, Match Commissioner at the Under-20 World Cup Qualifiers – Mozambique vs. eSwatini on the 9th to the 21st of August 2021.”
Since the league is unlikely to commence soon, maybe ZIFA must put up a list of local based players in a bubble for training as a roaster for upcoming tournaments.
Since players have had limited playing time during Covid, maybe this could help keep some conditioned enough for battle.
The other codes approved include Zimbabwe Rugby Union which received approval for the Zimbabwe 7s rugby team (Cheetahs) to conduct training sessions in preparation for the World Rugby 7s Series Cathy Pacific/HSBC Hong Kong scheduled for in November 2021 and the National Women’s Sevens team (Lady Cheetahs) to undertake training sessions in preparation for World Rugby 7s World Cup Pre-Qualifiers to be played in August/September 2021.
Zimbabwe Cricket also got approval to host the following Women’s Cricket Teams for one-day match series and Twenty (T20) matches; Thailand; 18 – 31 August 2021 and Ireland; 5 – 14 October 2021
Tennis Zimbabwe got approval to host the Zimbabwe – China Davis Cup match series from the 17th to the 18th of September 2021 in Harare.
Other codes to get approval are Zimbabwe Archery Association which is set to be represented at the Would Archery Youth Championships in Wroclaw, Poland from the 9th to the 15th of August 2021, Rowing Association of Zimbabwe who have rowers to participate in the 2021 World Rowing Junior Championship to be held in Plovdiv, Bulgaria from the 11th to the 15th of August 2021 and Hockey Association of Zimbabwe who will resume training for the Zimbabwe men’s and women’s Under-21 national hockey teams in preparation to participate in the World Cup qualifiers to be held in Namibia from the 14th to the 21st of August 2021.
Zimbabwe Ladies Golf Union, Zimbabwe National Bass Federation, National Athletics Association of Zimbabwe, Cycling Zimbabwe, Blue Cross Ultra-Distance Event, and the Eco – Tourism Africa also got approval for events coming up.
According to the SRC, no other activity has been approved.