Newsday
By Fortune Mbele
6 June 2011
The Hockey Association of Zimbabwe (Haz) says Khumalo Hockey Stadium (KHS) will be ready for the 2012 Olympic qualifiers which will be held from September 2 to 10.
Haz president Kays Kanyangarara yesterday told NewsDay Sport that the facility which is due to undergo refurbishment would be ready by mid-August, just under a month before the commencement of the qualifiers.
Kanyangarara said the Ministry of Public Works and a Dutch company Edelgrass, which won the tender to spruce up the stadium, signed a deal on Thursday and the artificial turf for the two fields at the facility, will be shipped by June 14.
“Khumalo Hockey Stadium will be ready by mid-August for the Olympic qualifiers that will be held from September 2-10 but it is unfortunate that our teams will not have the feel of the surfaces before the qualifiers. But that guarantees us that we will host the qualifiers,†Kanyangarara said.
The Haz boss said he was in constant meetings with the Ministry of Public Works and had assurances that the facility would be ready by mid-August.
Officials from the Ministry and the Dutch-based firm toured the stadium in the city on Thursday and Friday last week after signing the deal in the capital.
Kanyangarara said Edelgras had also toured some schools in Harare and Bulawayo with a possibility of establishing hockey stadia for the games.
Education, Sport, Arts and Culture minister David Coltart who availed one million dollars for the refurbishment of Khumalo Hockey Stadium was also at the facility on Friday morning.
In a statement earlier, Kanyangarara said: “After much effort I am pleased to advise that the contract for the new artificial turf was formally signed on 1st June, in Harare between the government of Zimbabwe and Edelgrass.
“Edelgras has already manufactured the turf for the two fields, and these will be shipped by June 14, and we expect the pitches to be ready from the end of July. A little close to our tournament date, but we are on track.
“A positive site meeting was held yesterday at the KHS between the local committee, authorities and Edelgras. The government of Zimbabwe is committed to the hosting of this event, and the facility will be more than adequate to meet our expectations.â€
“Nine countries, Zimbabwe, South Africa, Kenya, Egypt, Ghana, Nigeria, Namibia, Uganda and Botswana are expected to participate in the qualifiers which will be held concurrently with the All-Africa Games in Mozambique.
Mozambique do not play hockey and Zimbabwe was chosen to host the Olympic qualifiers.