Zimpapers Logo

Ellina Mhlanga Sports Reporter
IT will be a busy year for the Judo Association of Zimbabwe as they hope to continue with their efforts to promote the sport and one of their focus areas this year is the inclusion of people with disabilities.

The national association is targeting to introduce judo for the visually impaired and will kick-start the programme with a seminar scheduled for February 22 to 24 in Harare.

JAZ president Smart Deke said they are looking at equipping their coaches with the right skills before they can embark on the programme that will see them promoting the involvement of the visually impaired into the sport.

“This programme is starting next month. We have a seminar on the 22nd of February to the 24th of February. This programme is going to be run by international experts from Japan. We are going to focus on all schools for the blind because judo is trying to accommodate everyone in the coming 2020 Olympic Games and Paralympic Games in Tokyo. So we are now going around the country to promote judo for everyone,” said Deke.

The seminar will be conducted by International Judo Federation members from Japan — Chikara Kariya and Kenichi Shoshida.

“I actually met these guys at the (international) congress . . . coming to Africa we tend to neglect people with disabilities. So judo is now coming up with this programme to try and encourage our visually impaired athletes into the sport. So it’s the first time in Zimbabwe, regionally we have had only South Africa doing it,” Deke said. The seminar will include a technical course and Deke said they are hoping to also have coaches from different countries in the region.

“We are going to have people from the international federation coming to conduct the technical course and launch the programme. We have got all our young coaches, as this is something coming to our country we want them to learn how to coach blind people.

“We have got 40 young coaches and we are going to invite the president of the Zimbabwe National Paralympic Committee. We are extending our invitation to everyone regionally. We are going to have two coaches from each country. We are looking at countries such as Malawi, Zambia, Botswana, Mozambique, South Africa, Swaziland and Namibia,” said Deke.