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Ricky Zililo, Senior Sports Reporter
EMBRACING renewable energy in sport as well as anti-doping will take centre stage at the fourth edition of the Sports Leaders’ Institute of Zimbabwe (SLIZ) Winter Camp that starts today and ends on Sunday in Kariba.

Sliz has invited a United Kingdom-based energy expert Noboth Gaza to present a plenary on how sport can benefit from renewable energy.

Gaza of Solarlux Solutions International will speak on the relation between sports and renewable energy, especially in rural areas that have no access to electricity.

“Our rural areas lag behind in sports development because as a country we are still far from embracing renewable energy such as solar. If solar energy is embraced in sports, then we should start seeing schools using electronic scoreboards in athletics, soccer and basketball. Gaza will speak on the need to embrace renewable energy in sports. If properly embraced, some schools might even benefit from organisations that might want to hire their facilities for evening training sessions in the event that their lights are solar powered,” said Russell Mhiribidi.

In Bulawayo, Football for Hope Centre, operated by Grassroots Soccer Zimbabwe, is one facility that has embraced renewable energy, with solar powered lights illuminating the ground used for five-a-side soccer.

The winter camp will draw participants from colleges, universities, secondary and primary schools, sporting associations and clubs, as well as sports officers from government arms, such as the Zimbabwe Prisons and Correctional Services and the police.

The organisers of the camp have also invited Marketers’ Association of Zimbabwe (Maz) to give participants tips on understanding brand value and attract partners.

“The aim is to give participants a different dimension on sports issues. The world is changing and renewable energy is the in-thing, hence the need to embrace it in sports development. We’ve also noted that clubs and sporting associations don’t understand their brand value and many a times are exploited by the so-called sponsors, who happen to give them donations. There’s a difference between sponsorship and donations, which is what we want sports leaders to understand. Guarding against ambush marketing is another thing that people from Maz will tackle,” said Mhiribidi.

Former Caps United and Buymore FC footballer More Moyo, a Maz board member, will present on the marketing subject.

The keynote speaker is the director of Anti-Doping Education and Research at the Anti-Doping Agency of Kenya (ADAK) Agnes Wanjiku Mandu.

Officials from the Sports and Recreation Commission and the Sport and Recreation Ministry will also make presentations at the winter camp. — @ZililoR.