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Ellina Mhlanga-Senior Sports Reporter

THERE was relief for 24 low-risk sport codes, including cricket, after the Sports Commission gave them the greenlight, to resume their activities.

These activities will be held in accordance with their previously-approved Covid-19 protocols, encompassing national and World Health Organisation, guidelines.

However, the country’s biggest sports discipline, football, has not been included among the codes given the greenlight.

“Pursuant to the recently gazetted Statutory Instrument 170 of 2021, the following sports codes, classified as ‘low risk’ are hereby authorised to resume their activities in accordance with their previously approved Covid-19 protocols encompassing national and World Health Organisation guidelines: 

“Archery, angling, cricket, equestrian, polo, shooting, woodball, table tennis, aquatics, bass, cycling, rowing, polocrosse, tennis, triathlon, horse racing, badminton, athletics, chess, draughts, golf, motor sport, lawn bowls, teqball.

“The SRC is advising the relevant National Sport Associations of this development by separate and direct email requiring that they acknowledge, and accept, the said correspondence and the health protocols and other conditions reiterated therein, prior to any such resumption.

“If any of the above activities are carried out at a sports club or other similar facility, bars and changing rooms are to remain closed and any available restaurants authorised to operate are to only accept take-away orders. 

“For avoidance of any doubt, gyms shall remain closed. 

“All competitions must, however, still be applied for separately through the SRC, which will submit its recommendations to the Minister for approval. 

“The following deadlines are applicable in this respect:-

1. Local competitions (Fourteen business days prior to the intended competition date).

2. Regional, Continental and International competitions (Thirty business days prior to the intended travel date for the competition date). 

“No competition in Zimbabwe, or travel outside Zimbabwe, shall take place without the written authorisation of the Honourable Minister of Youth, Sport, Art and Recreation, in consultation, with the Honourable Minister of Health and Child Care.

“The SRC is in constant liaison with those sports codes not appearing on the above list, but having critical domestic and / or international commitments. 

‘’Their respective situations are under active consideration on a case by case basis, and any decision regarding their ability to resume or participate, as the case may be, will be communicated to them directly.

“Likewise, due consideration will, upon application and demonstrable justification, be given to those sports codes requiring reclassification as ‘low risk’.

“The SRC will, along with the relevant law enforcement authorities, continue to monitor all sports facilities, and centres for compliance. 

‘’Violations of health protocols and other stated conditions will result in the summary suspension of the relevant sport code and the prosecution of the offending persons or responsible officials.” 

Some of the associations, which spoke to The Herald yesterday, welcomed the move. 

Tennis Zimbabwe are preparing for the Africa Junior Championships in Tunisia next month and a number of International Tennis Federation 18-and-Under tournaments, in Nigeria and Kenya, between this month and July.

They are also expecting to host three ITF 18-and-Under tournaments between July and August in Harare.

TZ manager, Cliff Nhokwara, said they can now proceed with their preparations for the different events, including the Davis Cup tie against China, in September. 

“I think it lessens our burden, as far as preparations, are concerned,’’ he said. 

‘’At least, we will get our players ready before the tournaments we are participating in, the 18s, the Davis Cup and the AJC (Africa Junior Championships). 

“We can also continue, probably, hosting smaller national tournaments as part of the AJC preparations.’’ 

National Athletics Association of Zimbabwe are pursuing qualification for the World Junior Championships in August and Olympics.

Tendai Tagara, the NAAZ president, said they have to go back to the drawing board and see how they will proceed. 

“We have to restart planning, time is not on our side, in terms of qualifying time,’’ said Tagara. 

“We are working to have our athletes to run in South Africa, that’s the best option, because we had already planned to go there. 

‘’For those who cannot go, we must organise an event, we had an event in Bulawayo but had to cancel, so we have to reschedule.” 

Teqball Association of Zimbabwe secretary-general, Lawrence Kamukapa, welcomed the developments. 

“It did come as a jubilation for us considering that we are still a new sport and we are still trying to grow our sport in all provinces in Zimbabwe,’’ he said. 

“And, when we received the news that all sports have been stopped, actually, it really did affect us. 

‘’But, now that we got the good news of sports resumption, we have already started to communicate with our clubs, the few clubs that we have already created in the country.” 

Zimbabwe Golf Association president, Mufaro Chivonivoni, said they were still waiting for the official communication, from the Sports Commission.