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Lovemore Dube Senior Sports Editor
THE honeymoon is over for Bulawayo and Zimbabwe sport and they now have to get down to action and make use of the new infrastructure and equipment.Celebrations for new infrastructure and equipment as part of the legacy benefits of playing host to the Africa Union Sports Council Region 5 Under-20 Youth Games last year would be incomplete if not followed by programmes of action. Athletes should benefit while  the corporate sector should support sport by using the facilities as an advertising platform.

Companies should be competiting to put up billboards at the magnificent White City Stadium which is still due for more work to bring it to a level that will attract quality events.

What the nation wants to see are activities of a national character and international flavour being held in Bulawayo. The stadia should not decorate the city nor should equipment gather dust and be exposed to rodents’ harmful effects.

Like what one reputable administrator and sports scientist said, only consistent events can ensure  there is an inventory check that is on-going.

“The only way we can ensure that the facilities are kept in good order is when we have regular competition. We’ll be able to check if every piece of equipment is still there and intact for use,” said Bhekuzulu Khumalo.

While the excitement of the Games has not died down, Minister of Sports, Arts and Culture Andrew Langa, believes the city council, the government and associations should engage and come up with a position that will ensure access by athletes to world class standards.

“These will certainly not be white elephants. It was His Excellency, President Mugabe who ensured that the Games come to Bulawayo and are a success. For the legacy of the Games, our President and future generations, these facilities were not for the past competition but for the future.

“The Region 5 Games are over. It’s the legacy benefits that were looked at first when choosing Bulawayo to host the Games. So we want as government to see them fully utilised to groom future champions not for the country but world beaters.

“The accessibility of facilities after the local organising committee has been dissolved will be the responsibility of many players,  local authority, government, association and residents,” said Langa on Wednesday.

Bulawayo now boasts White City Stadium which has some of the latest equipment in event timing. The tartan track there will also benefit clubs and schools and lift up the level of the sport in the city.

What this means both national and international athletics meetings can be hosted there with outstanding stars certainly to be considered for other International Association of Athletics Federations competitions like the Olympics and World Championships.

Athletics proved that it has a huge following, thanks to Dave Simba and Kennedy Ndebele and their marketing team. Crowds of over 8,000 were witnessed on some of the days and by virtue of being centrally located in the high density suburbs, the same support is expected to be extended to local competitions where the residents’ own sons will be in action.

So the challenge is for the board, clubs and schools to take advantage of the government’s investment.

Bulawayo has always had a vibrant netball league which has tapped players from secondary schools. With three netball courts with good surfaces at White City, the sky looks the limit.

Langa has emphasised that the facilities should be available to locals at decent fees so that they are maintained in a good condition. He said it would be unfortunate if the facilities went the Chitungwiza Aquatic Centre way. It was constructed for the 1995 All-Africa Games and now church events and musical shows have found a sanctuary.

It is pleasing to note that Lorna Riley and the Bulawayo swimming community are looking ahead and have a number of events lined up. If all goes well, one of the national swimming championships will be in Bulawayo apart from provincial activity.

A practice pool was dug and the main one had touch pads erected on either end making it world class too. Generations of swimmers are expected to benefit.

Basketball and judo were beneficiaries of equipment that can easily be erected anywhere for use. While an indoor facility for either of a permanent nature would have been ideal, it is sobering to note that the Afro Basketball qualifiers are coming to Bulawayo next month.

Fans will be subjected to top level basketball just like the players and officials. The choice of Bulawayo for that tournament is because of the equipment that was bought for the Region 5 Games which is international standard.

Initially, the basketball tournament should have been held before the Games in November as a trial run for the local committee but the stuff had not yet arrived from overseas for use.

The challenge for basketball and judo is that they did not get a permanent home as funding from government could not be stretched that much.

Langa said the equipment that was bought for the Bulawayo Games will not be taken to other cities and towns without ministry approval.
Boxing too got state of the art equipment including a bigger boxing ring which is now an international requirement.

Petros Masiyambumbi of the Bulawayo Boxing Association and his deputy Ezwell Ndlovu have previously stated that they want more activity for the city. The new ring and training equipment will go a long way in improving results in a sport  crying loud for its rightful place in Zimbabwe.

It used to compare favourably with athletics in terms of crowd appeal in the past. With few champion boxers coming over to make an impression nationally and outside the country, they have a lot of work to do.

The Games once again proved the huge appeal the sport has in the Bulawayo public as the City Hall was often full.

Most associations have shown intent to fully utilise the facilities and equipment bought for the Games. Zimbabwe sport can only get better by exposure to better facilities, training methods and external competition.

Soccer stadia, Barbourfields, Luveve and White City, had dressing rooms improved, health and media centres added on. The surfaces were improved and Barbourfields Stadium could retain its place as having one of the best playing pitches in the country.

Those with disabilities were not forgotten in the legacy benefits as some of the facilities were made user- friendly with ramps erected.

This means they can come as participants and also find stadia suitable for them as spectators too including ablution facilities.

For the legacy benefits to be real it’s only activities that will prove that, results and quality of athletes to be identified and developed.

Coaches and match officials were introduced to better methods ahead of the competition, media exposed to work on an international forum meaning that if a database of those involved last year was kept, they will be an asset in future big national and international events.