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Khatib clarifies soccer remarks
2007-01-25 10:25:51
By Guardian Reporter
Information, Culture and Sports Minister Muhammed Seif Khatib has stood by his recent remarks that soccer is the most popular and highly regarded sport in Tanzania and other parts of the world.
But he has categorically denied ever having made adverse comments on other sports, saying suggestions to the contrary in local media reports and analyses were unfair to him because most quoted him out of context.
``Some media outlets have been quoting only some parts of my speech while ignoring the rest,`` said the minister in an interview with The Guardian in his office yesterday, adding that it was unfortunate that it was the portions that set the record straight that were omitted.
In remarks while praising the National Microfinance Bank for its financial support to the national soccer team, Taifa Stars, minister Khatib said the sport had the biggest number of fans inside and outside Tanzania.
He added that although there were widespread complaints that the government was turning its back on other sports while throwing its full weight behind soccer, “that is only natural given the massive local and international popularity of the sport”.
But what seems to have raised hell was his note that it would be “lunacy” for politicians to focus on “unpopular” sports while ignoring soccer.
The media were soon inundated with angry remarks from representatives of sports associations, individual sportsmen and women, sports fans and other members of the public, most saying the minister had made excessively biased remarks that could kill sports in the country.
In his rejoinder yesterday, the minister insisted that he had made it clear that his ministry would direct its focus on soccer all right “but while, as usual, continuing coming to the help of other sports by giving them whatever assistance it could in terms of funds and coaches”.
“The government’s efforts are directed at improving the standard of Tanzanian soccer and are aimed at quenching the thirst of the millions of fans who have for ages admired the sport, regardless of age,” he pointed out.
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