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Emilian issue should be lesson for sports authorities
2008-05-16 09:12:58
By Clifford Masanja
On Tuesday this week the Cuba Embassy in Tanzania turned down a belated request by the Boxing Federation of Tanzania (BFT) to provide training camp for pugilist Emilian Patrick who is slated to appear at the Olympic Games in China to be held in August this year.
As expected, the embassy said that it would not accommodate the boxer for the proposed assignment as time to do so was almost running out, and hence, to obviate future claims for unsound preparations, the request was turned down.
The embassy`s decision on this score was quite correct, particularly against the background that it has been a norm for Tanzanian sportsmen and officials looking for scapegoats for each of their failures in most contests.
Hence, it is obvious that, in the case of a pathetic performance by the said boxer in China, he and ``company`` would resort to lay blame on the training machinery in Cuba as the course for any defeat.
On a frank note, such scenario should for the umpteenth time serve to ``educate`` the relevant authorities on the need to be serious with such assignments, especially when they involve crossing beyond our national borders.
As the Cuban embassy said during its decision, its boxers who are ranked among the best in the world have to undergo at least two-year preparatory training for such important games as the Olympics.
This is obvious with other serious sporting countries in the world who have to prepare their participants some year back before D-Day.
But this has never been noted by the sporting authorities in the country, especially when it comes to boxing.
Those engaged in boxing - the boxers and the respective officials - are in a position to know this better than anyone.
Many stories and articles have been written on how boxing has always been regarded as an ``orphaned`` sport, as all its handling has been beleaguered with unending problems.
The most recent problems for boxers and boxing in general include last year`s failed trip to an international contest to Chicago in the USA, followed by the flopped and problem-ridden assignments to Namibia and Algeria which only served to discourage our boxers.
As earlier pointed out, this stems from lack of seriousness in respect of the needed preparations and the necessary mechanism needed to accompany them.
While everybody has been talking of the need to promote sports as an item for carrying high Tanzania`s banner on the social and economic plains of the world, practical moves towards that direction have always remained a mystery.
In such circles of confusion, Tanzania`s participation in numerous regional, continental and international contests has always been erratic due to lack of seriousness in reckoning with the needed ``recipes`` in such meets.
Some few weeks ago, after an unexplained confusion, the country managed to belatedly send some four athletes to the recently ended sports meet in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, who were ``lucky enough`` to come back empty handed, carrying no burden in their hands and around their necks!
Some days back, before the athletes were flown to the ancient capital, the respective authorities had raised a cry hinging on lack of funds to take the entire national team there, let alone that the training camp had experienced unending problems in respect of the needed resources to conduct its activities soundly.
While the media and sports stakeholders have always come out with the necessary suggestions to uplift sports in the country, the respective authorities, including the responsible ministry, have not worked on the raised suggestions and propositions.
Therefore, for yet another time, the Patrick`s saga should provide one of the crucial lessons on this score.
Indeed, let it be the last lesson to those responsible for sports if they really want to keep their house clean and comfortable for them and their guests!
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