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Innocent Kurira, Sports Reporter
BASKETBALL Union of Zimbabwe president Joe Mujuru says the ongoing International Basketball Federation (Fiba) online courses crafted for officials had exceeded their expectations.

At present over 50 officials are going through FIBA online courses that began two months ago for coaches, referees and table officials.

Mujuru said the association had taken advantage of the Covid-19 enforced lockdown to improve on other aspects of the game.

“We are now in the the third month of the courses. These are three-month courses that we are doing with FIBA. We decided to take advantage of the Covid-19 lockdown to equip some of our officials. The courses are meant to capacitate the officials and enable us to improve our standards, while widening our coaches’ base,” said Mujuru.

“We have a full class of 25 coaches, 15 referees and 11 table officials that are going through these courses. Things have actually proceded better than l expected.

We have managed to cover much ground and they have been very successful. When the lockdown is over we hope to have instructors from FIBA coming in for practicals,” said Mujuru.

Meanwhile, BUZ is continuing preparations to host the Africa 3X3 basketball tournament in December.

Ten countries have confirmed their participation in the fourth edition of the Southern Africa 3X3 Under-18 basketball tournament to be held in Bulawayo from December 3-6.

Powerhouses Angola and Mozambique will not be part of the competition, leaving hosts Zimbabwe, Zambia, Botswana, Eswatini, Lesotho, Malawi, Namibia, South Africa and Indian Ocean islanders Madagascar and Seychelles to battle it out at the event.

@innocentskizoe