President Emmerson Mnangagwa Monday warned corrupt leaders in the sports industry saying stealing in football and other sports should come to an end.
He speaks when there are fissures between the Sports and Recreation Commission and the Zimbabwe Football Association (ZIFA) board following the suspension of the latter over alleged corruption. Mnangagwa said:
All these things that have been happening in sport all along; the stealing in football and other sports should come to an end.
We would want our talented children in the sports sector to work hard and succeed in their fields of specialty without being short-changed by these thieves.
Meanwhile, I applaud our young people in sports for their participation and spirited showing at regional and continental competitions, notably the Tokyo Olympics and the Paralympic Games as well as the Maseru Youth Games held in Lesotho.
He was speaking during the Robert Mugabe National Youth Day Celebrations held at the Robert Gabriel Mugabe Square in Harare.
The president acknowledged that the domestic sports industry was saddled with a number of challenges, chief among them the unavailability and lack of proper maintenance of the sports and recreation infrastructure.
He also said the Government has set aside resources to boost the sector, which has apparently performed below expectation in international competitions. Said the President:
The Presidential Fund, the Mnangagwa Fund, we are already upgrading Gwanzura… to another level of splendour…
He added that the government will go around all the cities upgrading all the sports and recreation facilities.
More: The Herald