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Allen Khumalo, Sports Reporter
THE International Association of Athletics Federation (IAAF) has spoken out strongly against doping, which it says has become rife in sport.

The IAAF emphasised this at a competition management seminar held at the Nairobi Regional Development Centre in Kenya from December 28-31.

Bulawayo Athletics Board (BAB) chairperson Manuel Mpofu and his deputy secretary Caron Chasamba represented Zimbabwe at the seminar.

Mpofu said the seminar focused on how to develop technical personnel to improve competition management and successfully market and promote events.

“A number of reasons which include curiosity, peer pressure or the belief that athletes cannot win without artificial help can explain why they try or regularly use doping substances. The fact remains, however, that doping is a personal choice. Even with awareness or prevention programmes in place, the athlete may still dope out of sight,” said Mpofu.

“As a way of countering that, we were advised to test athletes before competitions or during off season. The athlete will be accompanied by one of their team delegates to the doping control station when the process is being conducted.”

He said they also learnt about the importance of marketing and promoting their events.

“Events need to be marketed so that sponsors get to know what is happening and if associations fail to do that, the corporate world will not assist.

Marketing will not only help with having successful competitions, but help develop the sport in the country as athletes will be motivated to compete.

“Competition management on the day of the event is perhaps the most important aspect for determining the quality of experience for participants, spectators and others involved in athletics.

“Preparation is the major tool of having a good event. Key personnel at the competition must be knowledgeable with the purpose of the event and must be active to push the competition to the end,” Mpofu said.

He believes the year 2017 will be different and promised fans more competitive and professionally organised events.

“Athletics in the country will never be the same again because we learnt a lot in the seminar. We are looking forward to implementing what we learnt, especially when it comes to competition management,” he said.

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