Government OKs COSAFA tournament

New Zimbabwe.com
25th August 2009
By Nkanyiso Moyo

ZIMBABWE will host the COSAFA tournament in October after the Ministry of Finance agreed to release US$1 million for the event.

The Zimbabwe Tourism Authority will contribute US$100,000 for the 14-nation event that is expected to be staged at Rufaro Stadium in Harare and Barbourfields in Bulawayo. The draw is yet to be conducted.

Education, Sports and Culture Minister Senator David Coltart told a press conference on Monday: “As you are aware, the government has been engaged with COSAFA with regards to the hosting of the COSAFA Senior Challenge Cup.

“COSAFA asked for a final undertaking from the Zimbabwe government to give it the right to host.
“Minister Walter Mzembi (Tourism) and I were involved in negotiations with Finance Minister Tendai Biti to get the funds and he has been very helpful.

“On Friday, we had another meeting with Minister Mzembi and I also had a chat with Minister Biti during the retreat in Nyanga at the weekend.

“We have sealed the deal for the tournament to go ahead and I am grateful to Minister Biti for the US$1 million government commitment.

“ZTA will pay the US$100,300 balance and we are sending a letter to the COSAFA chief operating officer (Sue Destombes) so that we will now enter negotiations with COSAFA.”

ZIFA CEO Henrietta Rushwaya said the development was the product of “ZIFA and the government working in tandem”.

“ZIFA wishes to thank Minister Coltart who went out of his way to ensure this happens, we are very indebted to him. We are also grateful for the tremendous support from Minister Biti. It’s a perfect job,” Rushwaya said.

COSAFA is made up of 14 countries — Angola, Botswana, Comoros Islands, Lesotho, Madagascar, Malawi, Mauritius, Mozambique, Namibia, South Africa, Seychelles, Swaziland, Zambia and Zimbabwe.
Four nations — Angola, South Africa, Zambia and Zimbabwe — have lifted the trophy in the past, all of them three times, since the competition started in 1997.

ZIFA president Wellington Nyatanga told the same gathering that he was optimistic that Rufaro and Barbourfields and the hotels to be used for the tournament would be good enough to give the teams first class facilities.

“Rufaro is CAF-approved and recently FIFA approved the facility and so it can host the COSAFA matches while Barbourfields is CAF-approved, but not FIFA-approved.

“COSAFA falls under both CAF and FIFA, meaning the stadiums meet the standards and I know training facilities will not be a problem for the visiting teams.”