LATEST ON SPORTS (01-08-07)

partnership with a given institution.
This was meant to centralise and effectively implement their various programmes and activities through initial reliance on existing facilities and services.
Mutsauki said a draft co-operation agreement between ZOC and Prince Edward, that will pave the way for the setting up of the Olympic Sports Centre at the school, has already been submitted to the Ministry of Education, Sport and Culture for consideration.
And if all goes according to plan, the Olympic Sports Centre will be launched in mid-December with full operations commencing at the beginning of 2008 under the supervision of a full-time co-ordinator.
Already a number of activities, including ZOC executive board meetings, courses and presentations, have already been held at Prince Edward this year as a test-run.
And Mutsauki said that the fact that these activities have been run smoothly was an indication that the concept of the Olympic Sports Centre “is a sound and pragmatic one”.
“The ZOC forum and general assembly have also, for the same reason, been moved to Prince Edward, the prospective Olympic Sports Centre,” Mutsauki said.
Apart from the Olympic Sports Centre, ZOC already have in place the Zimbabwe Olympic Academy, which has been given an elevated stand-alone status to highlight the significance of promoting Olympic education and spreading Olympism in Zimbabwe.
This is in line with ZOC’s vision and mission for the future.
In the past, the Zimbabwe Olympic Academy fell under the jurisdiction of the ZOC Education and Culture Commission.
But the academy is now chaired by one of ZOC’s two vice presidents, Brian Warren, with Margaret Muswazi as its director.
The academy’s agenda is now driven by a high-powered steering committee which consists of six other “carefully selected” members who will liaise with diverse organisations and groups in a bid to promote Olympism to 40% of the Zimbabwean population by 2010.


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RUGBY will be played at the next All-Africa Games following the signing of an agreement by the Association of National Olympic Committees of Africa, the International Rugby Board and the Confederation of African Rugby.
The move is aimed at developing the game in Africa and the IRB agreed with the African associations to advance the cause of the sport on the continent.
According to a Press statement released by the IRB, the three parties signed the convention at the weekend following the General Assembly of Anoca which was held during the 9th All-Africa Games in Algiers, Algeria.
The key principle of the convention will see rugby being recognised as a major sport in Africa by Anoca and the sport will benefit from the game’s inclusion in the sports programme of future All-Africa Games.
CAR chairman Abdelaziz Bougja who was instrumental in the establishment of the convention said the move was a major boost for rugby.
“CAR is absolutely delighted that rugby is now recognised as a major sport by the African Olympic family.
“Rugby in Africa is experiencing incredible growth and there are now CAR member unions in 36 of the 53 countries with National Olympic Committees.
“We look forward to working with ANOCA on the further development of sport in Africa,” said Bougja.
IRB secretary general, Mike Miller, added that they were not only looking at Africa in including the sport at multi-disciplinary Games.
“The inclusion of rugby in all of the world’s major multi-sports Games is a goal of the IRB and it is delighted that rugby’s inclusion in the All-Africa Games is now on the agenda of ANOCA.
“This follows last week’s announcement that the Pan American Sports Association will include rugby in future editions of the Pan American Games.
“Rugby is also on the sports programme of the Commonwealth Games, World Games, Asian Games and South Pacific Games.”
“Rugby is a sport that promotes and fosters the same spirit of respect and fair play as the Olympic movement among the youth of the world and Anoca has recognised this through the Convention,” said Miller.
Below are the African unions affiliated to the IRB and those that are still associate members of the continental body.
CAR/IRB Member Unions: Botswana, Burundi, Cameroon, Ghana, Ivory Coast, Kenya, Madagascar, Mali, Mauritania, Mauritius, Morocco, Namibia, Nigeria, Rwanda, Senegal, South Africa, Swaziland, Tanzania, Togo, Tunisia, Uganda, Zambia, Zimbabwe.
CAR Associated Member Unions: Algeria, Burkina Faso, Benin, Central African Republic, Chad, Congo, Ethiopia, Gabon, Gambia, Lesotho, Malawi, Niger, Seychelles.