Zimpapers Logo

Collin Matiza Sports Editor

KABADDI Zimbabwe’s invitation to participate at the 3rd African Kabaddi Championships to be held in Cairo, Egypt, from July 23 to July 29  now hangs in the balance as sponsorship continues to dodge this sport.

Gilbert Makowah, the president of Kabaddi Zimbabwe, yesterday told The Herald that they have approached different corporate organisations but so far nothing tangible has been realised.

“For now we just have promises despite the fact that we are racing against time for making meaningful preparations. We were supposed to submit the final Team List by June 30 after having held a proper team selection process. It’s going to be very suicidal to take a team for the Championships without going for a training camp training.

“Our hosts (Egypt) are frantically putting together a memorable championship showcase and have already drawn Zimbabwe against Nigeria in our opening match. We are concentrating on the men’s team for this encounter though the African Kabaddi Confederation had strongly suggested we bring both the male and female teams. We shall have an executive meeting on the side lines of the Championships to find best ways to make Kabaddi more visible and lure more athletes and sponsorship amongst other topics to be discussed,’’ Makowah said.

He also said they failed to attend the 1st  African Kabaddi Championships as well as the 2nd African Kabaddi Championships held in Kenya and Tanzania respectively owing to the strict Covid-19 regulations in Zimbabwe for contact sports coupled with stringent lockdown measures.

“This also affected our fund-raising initiatives as we are totally opposed to the “begging bowl’ syndrome which we are unfortunately currently embroiled in,’’ Makowah said.

Eight African countries will be taking part in the 3rd African Kabaddi Championships, namely Zimbabwe, Nigeria, Algeria, Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda, Cameron and the hosts Egypt.

“If Kabaddi Zimbabwe fails to secure sponsorship by July 9, we would have no choice but to throw in the towel. This will undoubtedly dampen the high spirits of our athletes and the hosts in the Land of the Pharaohs,’’ Makowah said. Kabaddi is a contact team sport played between two teams of seven players. The objective of the game is for a single player on offence, referred to as a “raider”, to run into the opposing team’s half of a court, touch out as many of their defenders as possible, and return to their own half of the court, all without being tackled by the defenders, and in a single breath.