Let’s embrace sports science—Kanjala

Former Malawi Olympic Committee president Oscar Kanjala has called on sports associations to embrace technology and sports science if athletes are to do well.

He said this yesterday in Blantyre during the launch of his consultancy firm, Sportocol.

Kanjala said local athletes do not do well because administrators and technical officials do not take sports science seriously.

He said: “When we don’t take sports sciences and technology seriously, it will be difficult for us to achieve results.

“For example, we keep on hearing coaches saying God will help them ahead of a match. What we need is to prepare our athletes professionally.”

Kanjala, who is also Malawi University of Science and Technology (Must) sports science lecturer, said sports science plays a role in the performance of athletes.

He said: “There’s a high performance centre abroad which targeted to produce 10 medal winners at a world competition and it produced eight medals which shows that sports science can make a difference if we embrace it.

“Our athletes have not done well at international competitions because they need to embrace sports science and move with the current technology trends.”

Kanjala also said his company will help in managing sponsorship, sports facilities and broadcasting rights using their links and partners both locally and abroad.

Women in Sports Leadership official Ivy Kondowe-Chinangwa, who is also a Must sports science lecturer, welcomed the launch of the firm, saying it will make in big difference in sports.

“This is a move in the right direction. Sports is a business and it has to be managed professionally,” she said.

Athletics coach George Luhanga said he was impressed with the firm’s vision as it will help to run sports professionally.

He said: “I feel sad that in athletics we stopped sending athletes to high performance centres in Kenya as well as Kamuzu College of Heath Sciences Sports Complex.

“Most athletes who do well at international competitions are products of high performance centres. The firm has said they will  work with high performance centres, which is what we are lacking.”