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Jonathan John Sports Reporter
SPORT, Arts and Culture Minister Andrew Langa wants Zimbabwe to take a leaf from the Germans who spent more than a decade preparing for their conquest of world football.
Langa was the guest of honour at the National Sports Convention, which ends today at the Harare International Conference Centre in the capital and is being hosted by the Bindura University of Science Education.

Langa said sports associations should know that there are no short cuts to success and feels the locals should take a leaf from the Germans who invested a lot in their World Cup-winning team.

The Minister said there was criticism being heaped on sports associations, but he believes the same associations need support.

“The Germans nurtured their team for the past 10 years and now it has paid dividends and they have won the World Cup and we should follow that model,” said Langa

“Let’s support our national associations rather than give criticism that is not constructive as together we can build sport and at the same time the associations should foster investor confidence in sport.

“It is encouraging to see a number of stakeholders involved as sport has a huge influence on our lives,” said Langa.

Langa recently returned from the World Cup in Brazil. Zimbabwe Olympic Committee chief executive Anna Mguni said sporting associations should take advantage of such conventions to move sport forward.

“This has been a perfect opportunity for dialogue and we can also take a paradigm shift from the way we often view sport in order to promote sport for peace and development,” said Mguni.

This year’s convention is the third and around 70 sports administrators, teachers and delegates from around the world, including those drawn from the United Nations, attended yesterday’s conference.