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Innocent Kurira, Sports Reporter

THE eighth edition of the annual Lakers Foundation Basketball Tournament is set to get underway today with foreign clubs set to be part of the action.

Lakers Foundation founder and tournament director, Sikhumbuzo Ndlovu, said all is in place ahead of the competition that will be held at three venues, Khanyisile Sports Centre, Eveline High School and the Zimbabwe International Trade Fair Hall 3.

“We have 12 teams taking part in the men’s category while 10 teams will battle in the ladies division. I’m sure basketball fans are going to see quite competitive matches because most of the teams from outside Zimbabwe are big in their own countries and will provide stiff competition,” said Ndlovu.

 Some of the visiting teams will be Naspa Hurricanes from Zambia and Dolphins from Botswana. Local teams will include Lakers, Highlanders, Giants and Mavericks. Mercenaries from Mutare are also going to be part of the competition.

Lakers Foundation was founded in 2009 with the aim of developing the girl child’s potential through basketball. From that period, the tournament has grown tremendously. Last year’s edition was held with efforts to sensitise communities about gender-based violence (GBV).

GBV does not only comprise physical abuse, rape and attempted rape, but also includes sexual abuse, sexual exploitation, forced early marriage, domestic violence, marital rape, trafficking, female genital mutilation and economic abuse, and sport is not immune to these ills.

The tournament was held as part of commemorations of the 16 Days of Activism against Gender-Based Violence. The tournament was played under the theme “Orange the World: End Violence Against Women Now’ and sought to encourage participation by every member of society to end violence, which affects more than 35 percent of women and girls in Zimbabwe.

 -@innocentskizoe