Athletes plead for President’s support
Local minority sports athletes have requested President Arthur Peter Mutharika to put in place policies that will help to rescue their disciplines from meagre subventions, poor infrastructure and sponsorship hurdles.
Bodybuilding, basketball, taekwondo and lawn tennis athletes say they have for a long time failed to showcase their full potential on the domestic scene and have rarely won medals at international events because government has been turning a blind eye on their disciplines.
Said Mr. Malawi Bodybuilding Championships runner-up Yasin ‘Ichocho’ Suwedi: “We are hopeful that the new President will do anything possible to uplift the standards of our disciplines, whose annual subventions hardly exceed K2 million.
“In my case, I am happy that the President once lived in America where he probably noted the potential and the unwavering support given to bodybuilding sport and I hope he would replicate that in the country.”
Fletcher Mtawali, captain for Southern Zone Basketball League (Sozobal) giants Bricks, concurred with Ichocho that it has not been easy for minority sports to survive and they bank their hopes on the new government’s sports policies.
“Sporting activities help people prevent health risks and this means government will be spending less in health budget if support towards minority sports is enhanced,” said Mtawali, whose sport has stayed for over five years without corporate sponsorship.
Taekwondo national champion Medson Mtila and Presidential Lawn Tennis Championship titleholder Julius Taulo said focus should be constructing at least two or more youth centres for each city.
