Zimbabwe can't send athletes to Zone Six Games

Zimbabwe can't send athletes to Zone Six Games

By Sports Reporter

ZIMBABWE'S economic crisis hit the hardest on young athletes when the country decided to send half of the qualified 148 athletes to the Zone Six Games currently underway in Windhoek, Namibia.

Zimbabwe failed to raise the required $70 billion in foreign currency and subsequently send a depleted side cutting down on disciplines.

Zone Six Games were inaugurated last year in Maputo, Mozambique and are meant to expose youth talent from the Sadc region.

Charles Nhemachena, the Sports and Recreation Commission chief executive officer confirmed they could not send a full team because of foreign currency shortages.

“We initially wanted to send a team of 148 athletes but we cut the number after government half of our budget. But we are still hopeful that more athletes will go to Namibia as soon as the money comes.

“Despite sending a few athletes, we are confident of excelling because we have talented athletes,” said Nhemachena.

The athletes, who were supposed to leave the country by air, left by road and were expected to arrive Monday.

Most of the athletes did not go into camp as initially planned while those who converged in Harare lived under squalid conditions at the National Sports Stadium. More than 15 athletes shared single rooms and some athletes bought their own food about a kilometre from the stadium.

Zimbabwe finished second at last year’s edition in Maputo behind South Africa.

Zimbabwean athletes have also been deprived of a show at the Commonwealth Games after the country pulled out of the club.
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