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Kelly Fairweather

FEDERATION of International Hockey chief executive officer Kelly Fairweather has challenged the Hockey Association of  Zimbabwe to work towards getting at least one team to the 2018 Youth Olympic Games in Buenos Aires, Argentina, as part of the sport’s revival.Fairweather, who was on a two-day visit to Zimbabwe, said the world federation was willing to help HAZ in capacity building and underlined the need to get the Magamba Hockey Stadium repaired.

A former South African national team coach and coaching director, Fairweather is the highest ranking hockey official to visit Zimbabwe since the turn on the century.

He pointed out that while FIH are not able to fund the repairs at Magamba, the international federation was ready to use its contacts and help Zimbabwe move ahead with reviving the sport.

“I did not know what to really expect when I was on my way here but I must say that I have come away from these one and half days full of enthusiasm, full of optimism for hockey in Zimbabwe.

“I think fundamentally, when you have a sound youth base, for any sport in any country, then you have something that you can work on.

“That is the strong message that I got from the people in Hockey Association of Zimbabwe. I heard that hockey at youth levels and schools is very strong and obviously we have to build on that,” said Fairweather.

A former World Anti-Doping Agency director for Europe, Fairweather urged HAZ to spread the game so that talent can be harnessed through a co-ordinated programme.

“The challenge is on taking the players to the clubs in the different regions. I have not seen the standards here but I have spoken to different people whom I know and trust and they have told me there is talent.

“This talent pool has to be tapped and I believe that the HAZ and then we at the FIH have to put in place a plan. Our job now is to put together a four year plan which will take Zimbabwe hockey forward.

“We are working with a number of countries around the world that we have indentified. These are countries that we believe have potential to go to the next level and I think Zimbabwe fit into that category.

“They (HAZ) have to get at least one team to the 2018 Youth Olympic Games,” said Fairweather.

While field hockey played by 11 players in a team is the most popular version of the sport, Fairweather has encouraged HAZ to introduce the youths to indoor and five-aside games.

“Now we have five-a-aside game similar to rugby and we think that with the talent that Zimbabwe can put together, they could become a powerhouse.

“We want to make the sport as accessible and as flexible as possible. In India kids with hockey sticks play just on a flat piece of land and they enjoy it as recreation.

“It might not be a full sized pitch but it could be indoor or on a tennis court. We need to get sticks in kid’s hands and in that way we can continue growing the game,” he said.

Magamba was built prior to the All-Africa Games in 1995 but the two fields are in a sorry state while the Government has been paying lip-service on calls to repair the dilapidated surfaces since 2000.

The venue has actually become more synonymous with Church gatherings than hockey and has at times also been used a musical concert venue.

“I have been very honest with all the stakeholders I have met and told them that we are not in the business of repairing facilities like Magamba.

“It’s not our role but we are there to support and provide coaches and build capacities within the federations. We can provide assistance in terms of expertise and we do not have the resources to help but we will work on every avenue possible to find partnerships for our 133 associations.

“We could get twinning arrangements with other countries or work with manufacturers and getting them to see the bigger picture. We have already built on that relationship and we have a number of facilities built in countries like Jamaica and Uruguay.

“I firmly believe that in a year’s time we will have a couple of pitches in Zimbabwe because facilities’ development is key and that is one of the half dozen priorities that we will work on. We have to look at a plan to get Magamba up and running,” said Fairweather.

HAZ president Mark Manolios, who was the chef de mission when the Zimbabwe women’s team won gold at the 1980 Moscow Olympics in Russia, is confident that Fairweather’s visit will unlock Zimbabwe’s potential.

“We took Kelly Fairweather to meet members of my hockey board, stakeholders around the country and among them, we have met Minister of Tourism, Walter Mzembi, Deputy Minister of Sport, Art and Culture, Tabitha Kanengoni-Malinga and the secretary to the ministry Thokozile Chitepo.

“We started off by meeting Edward Siwela, the acting Sports Commission board chairman and his director-general Charles Nhemachena who were not only helpful but also introduced us to other very important people in one and half days.

“Our meetings had been nothing but good news. Kelly once brought the South African women’s hockey team and they beat us here 10 years ago.

“But he is not an enemy but a friend and we look forward to continued interaction with him and the Federation of International Hockey. We are so pleased to have him,” said Manolios. — Sportszone.