Sports / Soccer
Mugabe pledges to develop Zimbabwean football after poll victory
26 Feb 2013 at 03:09hrs | Views
President Robert Mugabe, says Zanu-PF will fully embrace football development as a priority after winning elections scheduled for this year.
Officially handing over the Bob 89 trophy to winners, Dynamos, at State House on Monday afternoon, Mugabe bemoaned the current policies which do not embrace soccer and said he will make sure football is adequately funded when his Zanu-PF party wins the next elections.
"I find it worrisome when Zimbabwe always fail to qualify for the Africa Cup of Nations. We play clean soccer, so I think the sport commission and government need to re-examine the lack of funding towards the development of football in Zimbabwe as well as limited clear cut policies that have made it difficult for football to be recognised as a profession and a source of income," said Mugabe.
"The elections are coming and we want to make sure that we will support soccer with the much needed funding, and a Zanu-PF government will do that," he added.
For lifting the Bob 89 trophy, Dynamos walked away $110 000 richer, while Highlanders received $70 000 for being runners-up.
Mugabe said local soccer has the potential to become a force to reckon with at international level if government and soccer bodies emulate other countries who invest in the game.
Said the President: "The game of football is a source of income and players should enjoy the benefits of playing soccer even after retiring."
Meanwhile, the handover ceremony was marked by a happy birthday song for the President who turned 89 last Thursday.
Officially handing over the Bob 89 trophy to winners, Dynamos, at State House on Monday afternoon, Mugabe bemoaned the current policies which do not embrace soccer and said he will make sure football is adequately funded when his Zanu-PF party wins the next elections.
"I find it worrisome when Zimbabwe always fail to qualify for the Africa Cup of Nations. We play clean soccer, so I think the sport commission and government need to re-examine the lack of funding towards the development of football in Zimbabwe as well as limited clear cut policies that have made it difficult for football to be recognised as a profession and a source of income," said Mugabe.
"The elections are coming and we want to make sure that we will support soccer with the much needed funding, and a Zanu-PF government will do that," he added.
Mugabe said local soccer has the potential to become a force to reckon with at international level if government and soccer bodies emulate other countries who invest in the game.
Said the President: "The game of football is a source of income and players should enjoy the benefits of playing soccer even after retiring."
Meanwhile, the handover ceremony was marked by a happy birthday song for the President who turned 89 last Thursday.
Source - zbc
