Tanzania is set to embark on sport diplomacy to enable its athletes perform better and bring in medals from international events, including the 2014 Commonwealth Games slated for July this year in Glasgow, Scotland.
Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation Minister Bernard Membe
The diplomacy, which is meant to enhance capacity building amongst the sportsmen and women, will include sending local athletes to other countries and learn new tactics and improve their performance.
This was said on Thursday by Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation Minister, Benard Membe, who insisted that it was high time local athletes also shine in international competitions.
“We are now set to practice sport diplomacy and we will try to send our local athletes outside the country to learn new techniques in sports. When this is implemented as planned, we believe we will get positive results at the international stage,” he noted.
Membe said that the government would do the best it can to ensure that in the coming quadrennial Games, Tanzanians emerge with a number of medals. He said that in January when President Jakaya Kikwete received the Queen’s Baton Relay, he challenged sport bodies in the country to ensure that local athletes were prepared well enough before going to Glasgow to make them fit and able to compete successfully.
The president showed his concerns that in recent years the country’s representatives have underperformed. In that perspective, Membe pointed out that more efforts and plans were to be initiated to ensure that participations in international tournaments become more fruitful.
He added that the government has requested the Turkish government to allow Tanzanian athletes to camp in the country, a request which was agreed upon. He said the disturbing scenario of failure to win medals in major competitions has to end now and the country should regain its lost glory, especially in such events as the Commonwealth Games, where the country has a history of performing well.
The Tanzania Olympic Committee (TOC) is planning to send 36 athletes to Glasgow for the Games. However, this will depend on the athletes’ qualifications and the government’s financial muscle to support “Team Tanzania”.
They will compete in seven disciplines that include athletics, boxing, cycling, judo, swimming, weightlifting and Paralympics. This is an increase of three more sports disciplines compared to the 2010 New Delhi Games where only athletics, boxing, swimming and Paralympics were lined up. Certainly, the New Delhi Games remain an event to forget for Tanzanians because the team returned home empty handed.
At the 2006 Commonwealth Games in Melbourne, Australia, Tanzania managed only two medals and worse enough without two boxers, who went missing. Omary Idd Kimweri and Karim Matumla’s behaviour shocked the nation as they disappeared in Melbourne while representing their country.
By CHRISTOPHER MAJALIWA, Tanzania Daily News