Ellina Mhlanga Harare Bureau
THE Sports Commission’s disciplinary committee is now expected to meet this week in Harare to finalise on the disciplinary cases for seven national sport associations that appeared before them last year.
Ten national sport associations were last November summoned by the supreme sports body for non-compliance and seven associations — Zimbabwe Handball Federation, Zimbabwe Netball Association, Zimbabwe Boxing Federation, Zimbabwe Wushu Federation, Zimbabwe Taekwondo Association, Zimbabwe Judo Federation and Zimbabwe Table Tennis Association – have already had their cases heard
But the other three — Zimbabwe Professional Golfers Association, Zimbabwe Sailing Association and Zimbabwe Billiards and Snooker Association — are still to make an appearance.
Sports Commission’s sport development director, Joseph Muchechetere, said the committee led by board member Aisha Tsimba is going to meet on Wednesday and Thursday at their offices at the National Sports Stadium to finalise on the cases.
“The disciplinary committee will meet (this) week to finalise all the pending cases which went through. We haven’t yet finalised on the details but the meeting is definitely on. They’re finalising on the seven cases which they have heard,” said Muchechetere.
On the other three national sport associations that are yet to have their cases heard, Muchechetere said they are still waiting for guidance from the disciplinary committee on when they will make their appearances.
The associations were summoned for failing to comply with the provisions of the Commission’s Act, mainly section 29(8) and (9).
Section 29(8) states that “every registered national association shall as soon as practicable after the end of the year submit to the commission:
(a)…a report on the activities during the previous year; and
(b)…an audited balance sheet and income and expenditure account for that year.”
And item 9 of the same section says “every registered national association shall, as early as convenient before the commencement of its financial year, submit to the commission its estimates of income and expenditure for the coming year and shall likewise submit any amendments to such estimates”.
The Sports Commission have indicated that they are looking forward to a turnaround on the way sport is run in this country as they seek to take a more professional route for the development of the industry.
And Muchechetere has also hinted that more associations are likely to be summoned by the country’s supreme sports body in relation to compliance and governance issues.
The Sports Commission sport development director, however, said the point is not about punishing the associations but to ensure that they are able to comply.