IT is sad that some sports associations have continued to struggle to attract sponsorship from the corporate world while others enjoy massive support even without asking for it.
The saddening part is that most of these associations have, at the end of the day, failed to send their national teams for important international engagements after athletes put in so much but accounts for nothing.
Failure by most associations to properly come up with strategic plans has contributed to this problem.
The business community refrain from getting such programmes because they are not sure if their investments will produce the desired results.
Those who want to succeed in sport should make planning a priority and come up with ways on how they can attract sponsors unlike always relying on Government for any programme to to be done.
Thus the move by the Sports Council of Zambia (SCZ) to compel sports associations to come up strategic plans before they can start access funding from Government is a welcome move.
In addition to providing a strategic plan, it is gratifying that SCZ has banned associations from directly dealing with the Ministry of Sports as they need to go through the national motherbody.
“So as from now, it does not matter whether the association official knows the minister personally, but as long as reason for going to the ministry has got to do with funding-they have to come to us first,” SCZ acting general secretary, Innocent Chalabesa said.
Chalabesa added that associations will be requested to submit a workable strategic plan or they would not access any funds from Government and that transparency, accountability, discipline and openness will be key.
With a lot of associations fighting for a share of the national cake, it will be important that SCZ also comes up with measures that should see those defying the directive.
Many a time we have seen some associations that just come alive when an international tournament is pending. It is sad that some associations cannot even come up with programmes that can sustain their operations and even their athletes.
Hope these struggling associations can take a leaf from the golfers, cricketers, the Football Association of Zambia (FAZ), Zambia Motor Sport Association (ZMSA) among the few who before they can solicit for sponsors, others are already waiting to be invited.
Failure by the Zambia Basketball Association (ZBA) to send a team to the Afro-Basketball and All Africa Games qualifiers in Zimbabwe because they could not raise money needed to pay affiliation fees, was sad.
It is hoped that the Netball Association of Zambia (NAZ) who have two very important engagements this year – the World and Africa Netball Championship – have prepared their plan well so that they can benefit greatly from the national cake.
It is hoped that associations will heed SCZ’s directive and for once maybe our sport can start heading into the right direction. Those embroiled in bickering should consider putting the interests of the athletes first unlike fattening their pockets.
Meanwhile, good luck to Zesco United and Power Dynamos as they face must win matches against Mbabane Swallows and Al Khartoum in the CAF 2015 Champions League and Confederation Cup preliminary round return legs, respectively.
Hard luck to the Zambia Under-17 soccer team following their elimination from the 2015 Africa Junior Championship in Niger. For comments: eliaschipepo@gmail.com.