Zimpapers Logo

Innocent Kurira, Sports Reporter

THE Zimbabwe National Boxing and Wrestling Control Board (ZNBWCB) will tomorrow hold a Southern Region stakeholders consultative meeting at Mhlahlandlela Building Complex. The gathering will present an opportunity for the ZNBWCB board which was appointed in August to meet stakeholders in the southern part of the country.

ZNBWCB Bulawayo coordinator, Adelaide Gumbo said: “This meeting is targeting Bulawayo, Gweru, Masvingo, Matabeleland South and North. It’s an opportunity for the new board that was appointed in August to meet stakeholders. As the secretariat we will just be there to listen to the people tell the board on the steps that should be taken to improve the organasation.”

The new board which was appointed by the Ministry of Youth, Sport, Arts and Recreation saw Vee Chibanda appointed ZNBWCB chairperson and became the first female to be given that role in the history of the board. Referee and former boxer Diana Makumbe also made it into the board. The board has been appointed in line with the Boxing and Wrestling Control Act (Chapter 25:02) and Public Entities Corporate Governance Act (Chapter 10:31).

When the appointment was made, there had not been a board over the two years to oversee combat sport operations in this country.The invitation to attend the meet is extended to clubs, academies, tertiary institutions, the uniformed service, sports delivery services and the media. Former referees and current boxers, managers, promoters, referees and judges are also invited. Arguably, boxing has over the couple of years grown in leaps and bounds in terms of bringing forth results and gaining popularity, overshadowing football which used to be the most followed sport in Zimbabwe.

Several pugilists holding championships under the banners of the likes of the World Boxing Organisation (Peter Pambeni and Brendon Denes), World Boxing Federation (Charles Manyuchi and Tatenda Biningu), World Alliance Boxing Association (Evans Husavihwevhu) and recently the World Boxing Council (Kudakwashe Chiwandire) have been born.

-@innocentskizoe