President Hakainde Hichilema says government will allocate more resources to sports as it is regarded as a business venture.
And FAZ president Andrew Kamanga says FAZ’s long term target is to attain financial independence.Meanwhile CAF Women Assistant Referee Diana Chikotesha urged athletes to embrace education as part of planning for the after sports life or injuries.
Speaking during the State Banquet in honour of the under-17 boys and girls alongside CAF award recipients Barbra Banda and Diana Chikotesha, Hichilema said his government treated sports as a business.
“I want to you Mr Foloko (NOC president), FAZ president Andrew (Kamanga) and all the sports administrators, I want to assure you that this government is your partner, we shall allocate more resources to sports,” Hichilema said.
The FAZ patron hailed FAZ for the decentralization exercise that had eased talent identification. “I want to congratulate you for decentralization, your talent identification structures. That’s the way it should be, every citizen of Zambia must be given a chance to prove themselves,” Hichilema said. “It does not matter whether they were born in Chama, Shango’mbo or Kashinakzhi or in Mporokoso anywhere, you are a Zambian, we love you, we want to give you a chance in life.”
And Hichilema directed government to support government funded literacy programs for athletes.“When you make your money my friends in this hall and those who are not in this hall, look after your money. One of the things Mr Foloko and Mr Kamanga and other administrators, we need to work with the financial institutions,” he said.
“I would like the government to pay for Financial Literacy towards sports people. We must pay. We must invest in financial training, minimum financial training and also financial advisory. You can’t expect these young people to know how to manage their money, it is not fair. Let them have the information and choose how they can use it.”
He added: “I advise you young colleagues to use that information, because years later you will regret if you do not manage your money properly, we have seen too many young people doing well when they have money after they are done playing and are 40 or 50 they are in a difficult situation.”
The president stressed his all rounded support to sport as exemplified in the hosting of a banquet for Commonwealth 400 metres gold medalist Muzala Samukonga among others.
Meanwhile Kamanga thanked Hichilema for supporting FAZ through the support to the Chipolopolo and Copper Queens.
“I want to take this opportunity to thank you and your government for the support extended to FAZ. We are grateful for the support that government gives to the two senior national teams in the Chipolopolo and Copper Queens,” said Kamanga.
“Mr. President, while we are happy that we continue to receive this support, we hope that the draft Memorandum of Understanding that defines this support could as a matter of urgency be signed.”He said FAZ fronted the KoPa initiative as a prospective business venture.
“FAZ has not ignored the business opportunities available which has seen the introduction of the KoPa brand as the kit for our national teams. KoPa is produced in China at competitive prices which allows us to sale the replicas which allows us to sale the replicas at the affordable price of K600 for the shirt,” he said.
“With huge volumes we could reduce the price further down. It is this belief in business opportunities within FAZ that we are looking to raise the $10 million Chipolopolo bond to make FAZ financially independent.”
