The Sunday Mail
Don Makanyanga in Zvishavane
The major talking point from this year’s Copa Coca Cola Under-15 Football tournament was the unscientific physical vetting process by the National Association of Secondary School Heads (Nash) heads in charge of football.
Nash president Johnson Madhuku admitted that the complimentary physical vetting exercise from the basic documentation process was a flawed process. And as a result, almost a quarter of the 480 pupils that graced this year’s tournament were vetted out through the unorthodox system of “a look by the eye”.
“The issue of vetting is something that is giving us headaches and there is need for us to invest into more scientific methods. “Physical vetting is a flawed exercise,” said the Nash president.
Despite the sponsors of the tournament bearing witness to the ugly scenes that were synonymous with the two-day football tournament, senior brand manager Coca-Cola Vee Chibanda said the issue did not fall under their jurisdiction.
“We stand guided by Nash,” she said in reference to the vetting exercise.
“Our main objective is to promote young talent and we are happy with what we have done in the last 30 years,” said Chibanda.
Pamushana High School won this year’s Copa Coca-Cola after edging Guinea Fowl 2-nil in yesterday’s final.
Pamushana scored in either half through Washydence Mavunduke and Frank Muhle. In the girls category, Nyamauru became the first Manicaland girls team to win the tournament after beating favourites Mpopoma 2-1.
Both teams walked away $5 400 richer.
