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Sports Reporter
SUHAIL Jefferies, father to motor racing driver Axcil Jefferies, has expressed disappointment over the failure by the Zimbabwe Motorsport Federation to submit the latter’s name for consideration for the Annual National Sports Awards. The Sports Commission revealed this year’s final nominees on Monday in Harare. But it was the absence of Axcil’s name on that list that irked Suhail as he felt his son did enough to merit a place amongst the nominees for the Sportsperson of the Year award.

Strong aggressive racing saw Jefferies and his teammate Rik Breukers finish the final two European races in fourth and second place which placed them in a very respectable second place overall in the European Lamborghini Super Trofeo Championship at their first attempt. The European season saw Axcil and Breukers finishing with a total nine podiums including two wins.

Suhail believes that with such a remarkable achievement, his son deserved to be among the final nominees for the Sportsperson of the Year award. The awards will be held on December 13 in Harare.

In a letter addressed to ZMSF’s Ralph Stead and Rose Rushforth a few months ago, Suhail also indicated that he was not happy with the treatment that his son is receiving from the local motorsport federation.

“I refer to my Whatsapp messages to you both regarding my concern, or if I am honest my grievance regarding the treatment and handling of Axcil Jefferies race records and lack of acknowledgement from (the) ZMSF towards the fantastic achievements by Axcil over the last 17 years.

“I was absolutely shocked last week during my telephonic conversation with Rose when I asked why Axcil has still not been issued with Zimbabwe Colours and that I felt he deserved to be nominated for Sportsperson of the Year (award),” read part of the letter.

In some of the messages seen by The Herald yesterday, Suhail also accused the federation of racism.

“They still did not send his name through this year for nomination for ANSA. I respect ANSA decision on the names (as) they did not have Axcil’s name . . . because ZMSF continue to practice systematic racism.

“For the record Axcil and myself will now contemplate giving up racing under the ZMSF and he will take up a foreign race licence. We are very disappointed and a Press release will be issued in due course,” read part of his messages.

The Zimbabwe Motorsport Federation’s representative Rose Rushforth admitted that they did not submit any nominees for this year’s ANSA awards, saying it was because none of the athletes under their banner qualified as there were no international winners.

“Not at all, none of them qualified and as far as we are concerned there were no international winners. There is no-one at continental level and there is no-one at international level,” said Rushforth. We didn’t submit it (Axcil’s name), we decided that national colours were more important and submitted that,” said Rushforth.

She also said that they rely on clubs for nominations and they did not receive anything hence their failure to submit any name for consideration for the ANSA awards.

“We rely on the clubs to submit nominations for everything and we got no nominations from the clubs,” said Rushforth.

Only female motocross rider Tanya Muzinda made it on the ANSA finalists list where she is vying for the Junior Sportswoman of the Year award.

Muzinda (13) won two bronze medals at two major motocross events in England in May and September this year.

And the Sports Commission’s corporate communications officer Tirivashe Nheweyembwa yesterday said Muzinda’s submission was done by her father Tawanda through public nomination.

“The association (ZMSF) didn’t submit anything. For Tanya it was her father who submitted the nomination papers through what we call public nomination and it is in line with the policy,” said Nheweyembwa.

He also indicated that Jefferies was initially on the list for consideration but was beaten into the top three finalists by other athletes.

“I can confirm that one Axcil Jefferies was initially listed but was beaten by others who were better during the process of coming up with the top three. Also note the association never nominated him, we used our tracking report,” said Nheweyembwa.

Although Rushforth claimed that there was no continental or international winner from Zimbabwe this year, another young motocross rider Daiyaan Manuel (13) was this year crowned the 65cc A Champion in South Africa after competing in the tough seven-round South African National Championship series which ran from February to October.

Manuel also helped Zimbabwe to finish second behind continental heavyweights South Africa during this year’s FIM Africa Motocross of African Nations which were held in Botswana towards the end of August.

The former St. John’s College Preparatory School pupil was the overall winner of the 65cc A Class at the continental event in Botswana before he went on to be crowned the champion of the South African nationals at the end of the series in October. And Temba Mazvimbakupa of ZMSF felt that Manuel deserved to be among the nominees for the Junior Sportsman of the Year award.

“I feel for Manuel but Axcil nobody knows much about the league he is racing. Personally I think he set the bar too high for himself when he was racing Formula 2. The general expectations were that he was going to graduate into Formula 1. Sadly that didn’t happen due to sponsorship issues. Axcil was nominated for national colours though,” said Mazvimbakupa.

The ANSA awards are organised to recognise and celebrate the highest sports accomplishments by athletes, administrators and technical officials taking into consideration achievements at international, continental, regional and national level.