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Ellina Mhlanga:Sports Reporter

ZIMBABWE Olympic Committee president Admire Masenda has revealed he will be seeking re-election when they convene for their general assembly in April. The ZOC board is elected every four years in the year after the Olympic Games.Masenda has been at the helm of the National Olympic Committee since 2006 and if he wins it will be his fourth term in office. Masenda believes he still has a lot to offer and would want to see some of the projects that started under his watch completed before he leaves office.

Among them is the Olympiafrica Centre project earmarked for Epworth.

“I will be running for office. It will definitely be my last term.

“I still think I have a lot to give to ZOC. We have been able in terms of governance in sport to develop an organisation that is a flagship in the country.

“We have also got to a critical time where we have a Ministry of Sport. We really haven’t had time to work with the ministry and I think there is a lot I can contribute, I can give in there. So far we have worked very well with minister (Makhosini) Hlongwane.

“We are excited with his passion for sport. It’s interesting when you have a minister who is so keen on sport. I would like to be afforded an opportunity to work with him,” Masenda said.

Under his leadership, the National Olympic Committee have been running a number of developmental and capacity building programmes including the Advanced Sport Management Course.

They have also been able to lobby for Olympic Scholarships for elite athletes aiming and attempting to qualify for the Olympics through the Olympic Solidarity.

ZOC also have their own offices in Belvedere, a feat many sporting organisations and associations are struggling to achieve.

“Year in, year out we have managed to lift ourselves to be on every programme that we can utilise for the development of sport on the Olympic Solidarity,” said Masenda.

While Masenda is pleased with some of the achievements the national Olympic Committee has made, he is concerned with issues of governance within the sporting fraternity.