IS the sports ministry dead? This is a question that I have had to deal with since Monday.
But I have failed to give our readers and followers of this column an appropriate answer because we are equally stunned with happenings in this once vibrant ministry.
This question came up following the arrival to a cold reception Monday afternoon of our three victorious boxers from the African boxing tournament held in Senegal.
This tournament was held as qualifiers to this year’s Tokyo Olympics and our boxers in featherweight Everisto Mulenga, welterweight Patrick Chinyemba and flyweight Steven Zimba defied all odds to make sure that the Zambian flag will be raised in Tokyo, they all qualified.
It must be noted here dear readers that Zambia sent only three boxers to these qualifiers and all of them made it in fine style under very difficult conditions.
Our boys qualified with one gold and two silver medals.
Other countries like Uganda, for example, sent nine boxers and only one managed to make it to Tokyo while hosts Senegal will have no single boxer in Tokyo as their boxers all fell short.
Against that background, it was surely befitting that these young boys are welcomed with respect and encouragement back home.
And the Ministry of Sports should have led this reception just to give these boxers a lot more encouragement going into the tougher Olympics.
But alas! The boys were given a cold shoulder, only a couple of their relatives and friends were on hand to welcome them, treated like they went to Senegal to represent their families and friends.
To make matters worse, even the Zambia Boxing Federation officials were not present at the Kenneth Kaunda International Airport when these young heroes arrived. Shame!
These boxers and their two coaches were actually not easily identified as they had no national attire on their bodies.
They felt orphaned, neglected and disappointment was written all over their faces for being ignored by their own after so much sacrifice and hard work.
Exodus Boxing Stables proprietor Anthony Mwamba was left alone to welcome his boxers like they went to represent him alone.
Mwamba was joined by National Olympic Committee treasurer Victor Banda and Dr Titus Fernandes.
Question is; where was the Minister of Sports Emmanuel Mulenga, his permanent secretary Joel Kapembwa, director of sports, where was the National Sports Council of Zambia?
Where are all the good, principled men and women who are committed to national duty in the Ministry of Sports gone?
Like we have stated before, when these boxers are lined up in Tokyo, they will be addressed as Zambia national team, not Anthony Mwamba boxing team.
The flag, our symbol of pride and national identity as a sovereign State, will be flying in Tokyo because of these gallant boys, they will be representing the nation, the hopes of this nation for an Olympic medal are rested on their shoulders.
But we can assure you that because there is a luxurious trip to Tokyo, we will see well-remunerated officials travelling to Tokyo in comfort while urging these neglected boys “to make Zambia proud.”
How do you expect medals from these already demoralised boxers?
Just seeing a high ranking ministry official at the airport welcoming them, is too much motivation for the boys to want to do even more.
I have been travelling for many years, covering Zambian athletes and sports teams and I can assure you that the Zambian delegation even this time around will be bigger in number and well paid than the athletes themselves.
What these so-called officials and administrators forget is that they would be in Tokyo because of those boxers, but do they care?
Does the boxers’ episode surprise us? No! Because this has happened before when our Under-23 national soccer team suffered the same fate after enduring hostilities and biased officiating in the pre-Olympic final qualifier match in Pointe Noir, Congo Brazzaville to qualify last September.
Later on, the ministry failed to finance their final camping in Spain heading into the final qualifying tournament in Cairo, Egypt last December and we all saw how unprepared the team was, and the result is, Zambia will not have a soccer team at the Olympics come July.
Like the questions you sent in my inbox dear readers, I am also wondering: “Are we going to continue like this?” Is there a new policy at the ministry about shunning victorious athletes?
People think the ministry is now dead because even us, have not heard about youth empowerment projects since Chishimba Kambwili left the ministry or did we miss any of that?
One reader’s [Mike] caught my eye; “Why has the President been so quiet about the deterioration in this ministry? Has he endorsed it? They say silence means consent your excellency, have you?
Kabwe based Japhet Kalunga made a stunning comment: “What we have now is the ministry of Kalusha vs Kamanga”
Hahahahaha funny but you can’t argue against his opinion….