Sunday News
18 July 2010
Senior Sports Reporter
THE Hockey Association of Zimbabwe(HAZ) is waiting for Government assurance on the refurbishment of Khumalo Hockey Stadium in Bulawayo before committing themselves to hosting the Africa Olympic qualifiers set for next year.
HAZ president Kays Kanyangarara said he has had informal discussions with Education Sports and Culture Minister David Coltart on the renovation of Khumalo Hockey Stadium but nothing has been put down formally.
Kanyangarara pointed out that as soon as they get Government commitment in writing, they would then inform the Confederation of African Hockey Federation whose president is in Egypt that they are able to host the African qualifiers for the 2012 London Olympics.
“I have had informal discussions with Coltart but nothing has been put down in writing by the Government. We have been given an opportunity by the African Hockey Federation to host the African Olympic qualifiers next year which will be part of the All Africa Games to be hosted by Mozambique who however do not have hockey facilities. The African Hockey Federation needs a guarantee that the stadium will be refurbished,†said Kanyangarara.
The HAZ boss said news that Khumalo Hockey Stadium would be revamped had been met with excitement by the hockey society as they will now be able to go ahead with programmes they had planned.
Coltart recently told this newspaper that Finance Minister Tendai Biti would soon release funds for the renovation of Khumalo Hockey Stadium to pave way for the country to host the Africa Olympic qualifiers. He said then that a foreign government had shown interest in funding the revamping of Magamba Hockey Stadium in Harare.
Built ahead of the 1995 All Africa Games staged in Zimbabwe, the two hockey stadiums are some of the best in Africa. However, the deterioration of the artificial turfs had seen the facilities not put to full use since 2004, while the sport returned to grass.
Zimbabwe has not hosted any international match since 2002 when South Africa came here on tour.
An inter-provincial tournament was held at Christian Brothers College in Bulawayo last weekend with the event being used to select national teams to represent the country at a Tri-Nations event also involving Botswana in Windhoek, Namibia next month.
Meanwhile, former national team coach, Colin Williams and ex-captain Michael McKillop are now back in the local sport.
Williams who is based in South Africa was the Matabeleland men’s coach during the inter-provincial tournament while McKillop who is back home after spending five years in South Africa also played for Matabeleland.
McKillop said his intention is to develop hockey at grassroots level and has ruled out an immediate return to the national team.
“I do not have plans to play for the national team, I don’t think I am fit enough. I am happy to assist where I can. My plan is to set up a hockey school for the juniors and develop the sport in schools,†he said.
Both Williams and McKillop walked out on the national team on the eve of the 2003 All Africa Games held in Nigeria when they found out that some Harare administrators had deliberately submitted a wrong team for accreditation.