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Eddie Chikamhi
Senior Sports Reporter
LOCAL football administrator, Violet Jubane, has raised the nation’s flag high after she was nominated for the 2021 Momentum GSport Awards, in the category of Imperial African Women of the Year.

This new award seeks to honour a woman, who is impacting sport on the continent, and going the extra mile, to raise the profile of women sport, in Africa.

Jubane, who runs a sports consultation firm, Sports Redeem, to promote financial sustainability and sport business on the continent, is up for the award, along with two other contestants.

She faces competition from Ghanaian award-winning Sports Journalist, Juliet Bawuah, and South African top woman footballer, Ode Fulutudilu, who plays for Scottish side, Glasgow City.

Organisers noted that Jubane is “passionate about development of sport in Zimbabwe and beyond Africa”.

The awards are voted for by the general public on gsport.co.za.

Jubane is the ZIFA Central Region’s marketing, development and communications officer.

She is a holder of a high-level FIFA Master badge. Jubane was the local football mother body’s first employee to earn a FIFA Master badge last year.

The programme, organised by the International Centre for Sports Studies, has grown to become a top graduate programme, developing all-round managers, who can cope with the increasingly complex world of sport.

However, there remains concern that administrators like Jubane are being shut out of mainstream women football administration, leading to the challenges which have plagued the Mighty Warriors.

In Namibia, Jacqueline Shipanga, a former Namibia women’s team player and coach, is celebrated in her country, where she has worked as the general manager of the Women Football Desk of Namibia Football Association, and is now technical director of the Namibia Football Association. In Kenya, Doreen Odhiambo was a Principal Sports Officer, in the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sport, before becoming the Kenya Academy of Sports Chief Executive Officer. In previous interview with The Herald, Jubane said she realised she had to advance her career, in the world of sport.

“The FIFA Master is a prestigious programme, which gives one the opportunity to network with industry leaders,’’ she said.

‘‘I believe that the programme will unlock new opportunities for me, considering the knowledge that I have gained, exposure and network.

‘‘I would want to embark on new challenges, within the federation, and help the sports industry in my country to grow.

“I have always had a dream to grow but I never imagined seeing myself working in the sports industry.

“My background has always been my source of inspiration, growing up in a less-privileged community.