The Sunday Mail
Veronica Gwaze
DESPITE Government having cleared the path for netball to resume, the sport remains in limbo, with most clubs struggling to meet the prescribed Covid-19 protocols due to limited resources.
Netball and other contact sports such as football, rugby, boxing, karate and basketball were among the last batch of disciplines to be given the greenlight as they were considered high-risk sports.
While activity has resumed in most of the sport codes that were cleared by Government through the Sports and Recreation Commission (SRC), the story has been different in netball.
Of the 16 netball clubs playing under Rainbow Amateur Netball League (RANL), only Ngezi Platinum Queens, Black Rhinos and Correctional Queens have confirmed that they are able to meet the recommended guidelines.
Although it is still uncertain when games will resume, some teams have already begun preparations.
The league is expected to use the bio-bubble concept, while teams should be regularly tested.
RANL secretary-general Moses Gukurume said financial challenges continue to stall netball.
“As most people are aware, Government has set standard operating procedures that are expected to be adhered to if games are to resume.
“However, the requirements come with a lot of financial demands and that poses challenges for the sport code as most clubs have always struggled in that regard,” Gukurume said.
Some of the clubs, especially community teams, he said, survive on well-wishers’ sponsorship and have indicated they cannot afford to sustain regular testing.
“We are appealing to corporates out there to chip in and rescue the girl-child. We are also working on finding ways to help them,” he said.
The Zimbabwe Netball Association (ZINA) had not yet communicated plans for the resumption of activities.
“So far we are just waiting in the dark, waiting for official communication from our mother body and we are not even sure how long we have to wait.
“Last time the SRC intervened, we were told to put together certain documents and submit, of which we did but since then, it has been months to no end and nothing has materialised.
“SRC gave instruction to ZINA on what to do and nothing has been done so far, so we are not sure what is happening and who now has the power to resolve this, but the bottom line is that this is destroying netball,” Gukurume said.
ZINA president Leticia Chipandu and her executive committee did not respond to questions from The Sunday Mail Sport.
It is also understood that the association has not entered the senior national team – the Gems – into any competition this year, amid genuine fears that a side that hogged the limelight at the World Cup in England in 2019 and had become a force on the continent might regress due to inactivity.
Netball, like most disciplines, has not been played since March last year.
