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Compiled by the Government Communication and Information System Date: 10 Oct 2008 Title: Plan to assist team preparation ahead of major sport events -------------------- By Proffesor Ndawonde Durban - The Minister of Sport and Recreation Makhenkesi Stofile has called for the development of a ten-year-plan that will assist in giving some focused attention to team preparation ahead of major international sport events. Speaking at the two-day National Sports Indaba on Thursday in Durban, the minister said there must be more preparation done with teams in their respective sporting codes ahead of events such as the 2012 Olympics. The indaba has been organised to develop an integrated national sport strategy in order to accelerate the implementation of the national sports development agenda. Commenting on the status of sport, Minister Stofile lamented that the there was still a gap between the strategies of the department as against those of National Sport Federations. He said the gap was more prevalent in the involvement of federations at mass participation level, which is the richest space for talent identification. While acknowledging that Federations are self-directed, Minister Stofile emphasised that they were not above the law. According to the department the minister has raised his appreciation at international confederations' flexibility in accommodating governments' resolution of critical challenges such as poor governance and corruption in sport federations. He said the perennial fear that international confederations may suspend South Africa if government intervenes in sport, cannot be allowed to determine the future of sport in the country. He appealed to Federations to stop seeing sport icons/veterans as threats and to instead "serve as walking sticks for the up and coming athletes". Speaking on the status of macro sport in South Africa, President of Sport Confederation and Olympic Committee (SASCOC), Moss Mashishi said the lessons learnt at Beijing should be examined soberly and used as a building block to prosperity rather than as a source of stone throwing. He agreed with Minister Stofile in reviewing the Lotteries Act in order to free sport funds to be managed by sport people. Mr Mashishsi has also called for clarification of roles between SASCOC and Sport and Recreation SA, as well as clarification of the role of Federations in school sport. Responding to Mr Mashishi's comments, Media Practitioner Cheryl Roberts said it was essential to develop a law that could limit period of leadership of sport bodies so that a pool of leadership can be created in the country. Ms Roberts said there were only few individuals who hold many positions, denying others particularly women, to be involved in the leadership of sport. The indaba was also vocal on issues relating to the continued use of the springbok emblem in sport and the dominating issue on the opening of the indaba was in favour of doing away with the springbok emblem' and in its place, promoting the Protea. In the midst of various inputs by attending stakeholders, the indaba is in agreement that it is only when the sport sector pulls in the same direction and works together, that South African sport will succeed. The indaba, which ends on Friday, is being attended by various sport leaders, sport veterans as well as technical officials. - BuaNews |
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