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Grace Chingoma Senior Sports Reporter

LEGISLATOR Tatenda Mavetera has challenged the sports authorities, particularly ZIFA, to capacitate female footballers in the same manner as they do with the men’s teams.

The Member of Parliament for Seke-Chikomba has also added her voice to the inequality of women in sport debate that keeps growing.

Speaking in Parliament on Tuesday, Mavetera said it was worrying that women’s teams like the Mighty Warriors that have achieved more than their male counterparts are lesser treated than the Warriors.

“I thought I should also add my voice concerning this issue. I would not say we are quite happy with the decision which was made, especially as the women that also practice football here in Zimbabwe.

“I think there was some time that we had to come into this House and debate about how women are treated when it comes to football. I understand very well that a lot of times we have seen men going for football even the Warriors, whenever they go camping, you realise that they are capacitated but when it comes to the females, you realise that there is quite a challenge there.  There is a great discrepancy regarding the treatment of female football players,” said Mavetera.

The Mighty Warriors have achieved more than their male counterparts despite being given lesser support. In 2016, they qualified for the Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, making history in the process by becoming the first football team from this country to feature at the Summer Games.

A number of developed football nations such as England and the United States and closer to home South Africa are beginning to address the discrepancies between women’s teams and men’s teams. They are making strides towards equal pay and other related conditions.

However, the national women team’s achievements have not been embraced like their counterparts, the Warriors.

Mavetera believes that it is vital for the local football motherbody to give the women’s and men’s teams the same treatment whenever they are on national duty.

“You will realise that there was an outcry at one point in time when we realised that the women were sleeping at schools yet when it comes to men when they are in camp, they are even going to the hotels and they are given very high per diems.

“So, if ever we need to be very serious about the state of football here in Zimbabwe, we need to make sure that we treat the females and the males equally. It is not fair for us, as a country, (for the Warriors) to be given preferential treatment because they are men.  I believe what it is quite important for us to also treat females the same way that we treat males.  I think when you look at this issue, we realise that when the females go outside, they do quite extensible very well but when it comes to the men, they do not perform very well yet they are given all this capacity. So, I thought I should also add my voice when it comes to this.”

Mavetera added that as a Member of Parliament who sits on the Parliamentary Portfolio Committee on Sports, they are beginning to take a proactive approach when it comes to sports. “We are happy that even with the Honourable Kirsty Coventry, there was a time that she came to the Portfolio Committee, and then she said she wanted us to establish what are called sports champions. We created that group and we were informing each other about what is needed to be done. I think I need to thank the Honourable Minister for such a proactive approach whereby she also realised that it was quite important for us as Parliamentarians to also be involved when it comes to the state of football.

“When we had the research that we did in the Portfolio Committee, to be honest, a lot of people were not happy and they were not quite happy with this decision which was made but we are happy that at least now the Government has intervened.  Great strides are going to be made when it comes to football. Indeed, as I said and as I conclude, there is a great need for us to treat women quite well. They are the Mighty Warriors and they also deserve what any other footballer needs,” said Mavetera.