News Day
16 January 2013
There is a tendency in this country by people to whip up emotions using words such as racism and tribalism.
One such example is the recent reaction to a directive from the Sports and Recreation Commission (SRC) on the selection of national teams that has caused a furore, particularly from Zimbabwe Cricket convener of selectors Givemore Makoni.
According to the directive, only people who represented the country at national level would be eligible for positions on the selectors’ panel in sporting disciplines including cricket.
This, according to Makoni who alleges racism, is targeted at him and possibly colleague Stephen Mangongo, and meant to “take back influential positions in cricket†to the whites and deny the latter the post of national team coach.
Such raving and ranting is uncalled for. Instead, due care must be given to the merits and demerits of the directive, whether it really saves Zimbabwe sport from further decay and makes selection more competitive or otherwise.
There is no need to be emotional here and cry blue murder about racism where there is possibly none. If one has qualifications for the job, one should not feel threatened.
A footballer cannot be a selector for a squash team nor can a boxer be involved in the selection of a bowls squad. Is this not the same problem the Confederation of African Football (Caf) is facing because people chose a former basketball player and a 400m athlete to run its football affairs? Critics have argued that this is why Caf is performing below par.
The SRC itself should also have looked at the wider implications of the directive before making it public.
It is a fact that there is no deliberate policy by the SRC to develop coaches in a variety of disciplines as most of the sporting disciplines have their own structures. There is no budgetary support from the government to achieve this.
There is no data base for coaches from the various sporting disciplines affiliated to the SRC, so to now want to control the processes when they are not part of the development programmes is rather awkward, if not difficult.
All the same, the merits of both the pursuer of the directive, which comes into effect on February 1, and the main complainant, should be given a fair view.If Makoni feels threatened, then he should not feel threatened by Education, Sport, Arts and Culture minister David Coltart at all.
He should feel threatened by the imminent winds of change posed by equally capable former national team players like Douglas Hondo, Darlington Matambanadzo, Mluleki Nkala, Dave Mutendera or even the recently retired Tatenda Taibu.
We should desist from playing the race card and look at the merits and demerits of cases and events in this country if we are to progress as a nation.
The likes of Makoni should be clear about this.