Shingi Matibiri, Sports Reporter
HARARE — Renowned sports administrator Liberty Maidza believes Zimbabwe has failed to achieve much success in sports because of the missed opportunities and yawning gaps in sports education.
Maidza who has vast experience working with various football clubs, athletes, universities and colleges said sports is a big business but Zimbabwe is lagging behind because sport is still being treated as a past time in the country.
“Looking at our Zimbabwean sport, there is a huge gap in terms of sports business education.
“There is need to have sports business solutions to improve the performance and productivity of athletes and ultimately the sporting organisations,” Maidza said.
“Sport is big business and source of employment but looking at our situation both athletes and organisations are not benefitting much of the business aspect of sport.
“So at the end of the end that’s why you see that the performance of all our national teams across all the sporting codes is below expectations.”
Maidza who is the Sports Director at Chinhoyi University of Technology said organisations should have commercial wings which pushes branding, sponsorship and other marketing related opportunities.
“Most associations are being run by part time skeletal staff and how do you expect sponsors to put in their money in their money in such a situation.
“Sporting organisations and teams should have full time secretariat which oversees operations on day to day basis in a professional manner.
“As somebody who worked with different sporting organisations and in many parts of the country both in rural areas and major cities, I noticed that much talent in rural areas is not being tapped into.
Maidza through his Liberty Sports Inc consultancy will be hosting a sports business indaba later this year to help associations, clubs and athletes tap into sports business opportunities.
