By YVONNE SAKALA –
THE Handball Association of Zambia (HAZ) has deferred next weekend’s Zambia National Service (ZNS) Commandant Championship to next month in Chamba Valley, Lusaka.
HAZ spokesperson, Josab Changa said in an interview yesterday that the association had postponed the championship to allow ZNS, the tournament sponsors, prepare well for the tournament.
Changa said the main purpose for the tournament was to show appreciation to ZNS for accepting the sport in the service and that Chamba Valley was the first target spreading handball to other units in Zambia.
He said the championship would be used to assess players that would feature in the national teams.
“We were supposed to have the Commandant Handball Championship next weekend, but we have moved it to the weekend of May 9 and 10. We had a meeting with them (ZNS) and we were told to change dates of the competition to allow them put all the logistics in place,” Changa said.
Changa, however, said that about 10 teams had so far confirmed participation in the competition and that more teams were expected to come on board.
On the preparations for hosting the International Handball Federation (IHF) Trophy Challenge Zone Six Games, Changa said the association was still looking for the K415, 000 budgeted for the games.
He said HAZ had not raised any money for the competition as the companies that pledged support were yet to honour their promises.
“We are still looking for the money. We have not raised anything yet, but there are promises here and there. We are confident very soon we will be saying some companies have come on board with this much. We are confident we will raise the money,” he said.
The IHF Trophy Challenge is scheduled to start on August 30 up to September 6 at the Olympic Youth Development Centre in Lusaka.