The Sunday Mail
Tinashe Kusema
Deputy Sports Editor
THE National Federation of Zimbabwe Bodybuilding and Fitness (NFZBF) have requested an audience with both the Government and the Sports and Recreation Commission (SRC), as a last-ditch attempt to plug the sport’s continued decline under the weight of the Covid-19-induced hiatus.
It is NFZBF secretary-general Quiet Shangai’s belief that the continued closure of gyms around the country could have lasting ramifications on bodybuilding and other sporting disciplines.
Shangai reckons that a guided compromise is needed.
“Yes, the latest lockdown restrictions and regulations were not favourable to us.
“Gymnasiums form the core facet of our sport, and their continued closure could be disastrous to us. While some sporting disciplines have been given the green light to return, while others like rugby still await permission, the closure of gyms also affects them.
“With the exception of maybe chess, darts and snooker, almost every other sport requires some form of conditioning in the gym.
“What is needed now is open discourse between the Government, the SRC and all sporting disciplines on ways that gyms can be opened but with stricter guidelines and protocols. We (NFBF) are willing to make the first step and we have compiled a proposal that could work for both parties,” Shangai said.
He highlighted the negative impact the continued closure of gymnasiums has had on his sport, with NFZBF writing off operations for the first three-quarters of the year.
“On average, an athlete needs roughly about three months to prepare his body for a competition but given that we have no idea when gyms will be allowed to open, we could lose up to nine months. The earliest we could expect to compete is October, and that is only if things change in the next couple of months.
“Even if gyms open earlier, there is the issue of our athletes not getting enough time to prepare for regional and international events.
“The best they will be able to do is compete locally, as on the international stage they will be clearly outmatched by athletes who have been hitting the gym during the year they sat out. The effects also go deeper than our athletes as the industry has been gravely affected by the pandemic and lockdown.
“Gyms have fixed costs like rentals and employees, while trainers have also found it difficult to operate without gyms.
“We risk losing some gymnasiums and trainers when the dust settles and things start getting back to normal,” Shangai said.
It is the NFZBF’s belief that a guided compromise, and unity of purpose, from the Government, the SRC and all sporting codes is of paramount importance now.
