By FELIX MALUNGA –
THE Sports Council of Zambia (SCZ) has said it does not interfere or play a role in the engagement of national coaches for all affiliate sport associations.
SCZ chairperson, Mwamba Kalenga said since inception in 1977, the national sports governing body had never been involved in the employment of coaches for any affiliate but that it was a sole responsibility of each member association to engage trainers.
Reacting to media statements on the engagement of the Chipolopolo coach, Kalenga said in a Press release yesterday that the recruitment process was done by the Football Association of Zambia (FAZ).
“The council wishes to categorically put it on record that it does not employ or engage national sports coaches for all associations affiliated to it and that it has never done so since its inception in 1977. It is a mandate for the respective associations to employ their national team coaches.
“The council therefore wishes to agree with FAZ’s observation that the recruitment of the national soccer team is a sole responsibility of FAZ and that it has nothing to do with SCZ,” Kalenga, who last week invited FAZ for a meeting over the coaching issue, said in a statement also copied to the Sports Permanent Secretary and FAZ general secretary.
He also said SCZ had on several occasions invited affiliates for internal consultations on various issues affecting sports as part of the spirit of sports development.
Kalenga said FAZ had always been cooperative whenever called upon for consultative meetings and that the association president, Kalusha Bwalya had been availing himself for such functions.
SCZ’s invitation was seemingly misconstrued that the national sports authority wanted to have a say in the employment of the Chipolopolo coach.
There has been talk about the awarding of a contract to current Chipolopolo coach, Honour Janza, who qualified and guided Zambia at the ongoing Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) tournament in Equatorial Guinea.
Zambia was however eliminated at the group stage level.