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Ellina Mhlanga Sports Reporter
OUTGOING Zimbabwe Olympic Committee vice-president Thabani Gonye has withdrawn his candidature for the post of president in the upcoming elections and will now fight to retain his current position.

Gonye had been nominated for two posts — president and vice-president — but revealed he would put his focus on the latter position.

The ZOC elections will be held this Sunday at Prince Edward School at their elective general assembly with 11 posts, including that of president, up for grabs.

The ZOC top brass is made up of the president, two vice-presidents and the treasurer and seven board members.

Gonye, who has been in the ZOC leadership since 2005, believes he is better placed to serve the Olympic body in the capacity of vice-president.

His withdrawal from the presidential race leaves three candidates — incumbent Admire Masenda, Joe Rugwete and Charles Mukaronda — to fight for the ZOC leadership.

“Yes, I was nominated for both position of the president and also the vice-president. But in my election manifesto and the communication to those around me I sought election for the position of vice-president.

“And then obviously when the request for nominations went out, there was obviously a constituency that nominated me for the position of president. But my initial request to the associations was for the position of the vice-president.

“I have withdrawn from standing for the presidency on the basis that when I launched my manifesto on the 27th of March, my information that I circulated to the national associations was that I was seeking re-election for the vice president on the 30th of April,” said Gonye.

Gonye was first elected the ZOC treasurer in 2005 and held the position for two terms after he was re-elected to the same post in 2009.

The former athlete was then elected one of the vice-presidents in 2013 along with Busi Chindove after losing the presidential race to Masenda.

Gonye said he would only be in a position to challenge for the ZOC presidency in 2021, arguing that he needed to achieve some goals before then.

“One of the objectives that I am looking at in my manifesto is that there are things that I need to do in the quadrennial for 2017 to 2020, which really relates to building a foundation for the future. And then the other thing on my manifesto was to then work on standing for president in 2021,” said Gonye.

In the battle for one of the two slots for vice-president, Gonye will fight out against swimming icon Kirsty Coventry, ZIFA Northern Region Division One chairperson Martin Kweza and former Zimbabwe Volleyball Association president Frederick Ndlovu.

Meanwhile, the Sport and Recreation Commission have urged ZOC to ensure they abide by their constitutional provisions amid concerns raised by aspiring candidates Mukaronda and Rugwete, who have challenged a bid to allow Masenda and all incumbent board members to vote in the upcoming elections.

The Sports Commission are worried that any deviation from the constitution could spark a legal battle between ZOC and the candidates who are unhappy that the move would give current board members a head start ahead of other contestants.