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Zifa president Philip Chiyangwa

Sikhumbuzo Moyo, Senior Sports Reporter
ZIMBABWE might consider bidding to host the 2019 Total Under-23 African Cup of Nations following last week’s formal withdrawal by neighbours, Zambia.

The Total Under-23 African Cup of Nations is the main international football competition for Caf nations. It is held every four years with the top three teams qualifying automatically for the Olympic Games and the fourth-placed finisher playing in a play-off against a team from the Asian Football Confederation. The 2020 Olympics will be held in Tokyo, Japan.

Zambia announced its withdrawal as hosts at the Caf Symposium in Rabat, Morocco, and the Ahmad Ahmad executive accepted the withdrawal and immediately called for bids from interested countries.

“We will see,” said Zifa president Phillip Chiyangwa when asked whether Zimbabwe will bid to host the championship, which will need the full support of Government.

It is, however, the Government’s wish to play host to big international events as confirmed by the recently cabinet approved National Sport and Recreation Policy.

In his foreword to the policy document, President Mugabe said : “Zimbabwe should seize the opportunities presented by sport to enhance the socio-economic welfare of its people.

“As enunciated in our national economic blue print, sport is expected to play its part in job creation, economic transformation and the empowerment of all Zimbabweans, especially the youths. To realise this aspiration, concerted effort will be made to catapult the sport industry onto a path of sustainable growth. In addition, sport tourism will be enhanced through hosting of mega international events.”

Zimbabwe won the right to host the 2000 African Cup of Nations for senior teams, but the tournament was taken away by Caf on the flimsy grounds that the country’s stadia were not up to standard. Zimbabwe has not hosted any major international football competition apart from the regional Cosafa Cup, which they hosted and won in 2009, as well as the Council for East and Central Africa Football Associations (Cecafa) way back in 1985. — @skhumoyo2000