MOC gets IOC assurance on Zika virus
The Malawi Olympic Committee (MOC) says it has received assurance from the International Olympic Committee (IOC) and the Brazil government that the Zika virus threat will have been dealt with by the time the Olympics are staged in August.
MOC President Oscar Kanjala said in an interview yesterday that following the assurance, Malawi will take part in the qualifiers for the global sports event.
“We have had official communication from both the organising committee of the games and also the MOC that all Olympians will be safe as the virus will have been dealt with.
“They assured us that the Brazilian government has put in place mechanisms to combat and eradicate the virus. Preparations are going ahead,” said Kanjala.
On foreign camping, Kanjala said they have already booked a place abroad where the local Olympians will have preparatory camps.
“As of now we are yet to determine which sports disciplines will make it to the games because most of them are involved in the qualifiers. But we booked in advance centres where our team can camp,” he said.
In a related development, national weightlifting coach Mosted Simwala said local weightlifters will not go through continental qualifiers.
“We are doing the preparations in the respective regions where the athletes are based. We are yet to camp as a team while waiting for word from our association. Our weightlifters will not go through qualifiers because they already qualified,” said Simwala.
