Mighty Warriors in the spotlight

By Sikhumbuzo Moyo

The Government is unhappy with the shameful treatment the Mighty Warriors received upon their return from the Rio Olympic Games in August 2016.

Despite the historic qualification and spirited performances by the girls at the Games in which they were paired against the might of women’s football Germany, Canada and Australia, the Mighty Warriors were treated like outcasts upon arrival back home.

ZOC saw it fit to give the girls $5 for those staying in Harare, while those from outside the capital were given $15 regardless of their destination.

“The payment of $5, et cetera to the Mighty Warriors was not supposed to have happened, especially given that they had a long trip to Zimbabwe. Ordinarily, the way we arrange our things is that they would have been provided overnight accommodation for them to be able to rest and then proceed to their various destinations the following morning. That did not happen and corrective action is being taken in respect of that,” said Sport and Recreation Minister Makhosini Hlongwane.

He was responding to a question in Parliament on Wednesday from Mutare Central MP Innocent Gonese, who had asked whether Government had a policy to discriminate against the Mighty Warriors compared to their male counterparts .

“I think we take note of the assistance, which was given to the Warriors by the Government. Does the Government have a policy of discrimination because we had the Mighty Warriors, who went to the Rio Olympics and also went to the continental championships here in Africa, but were not given anything. As far as I recall, when they returned from the Rio Olympics, those from Harare were given $5 to return home and those from outside Harare were given $15 only,” said Gonese.

“We have a situation where the Warriors were given up to $15 000 just as appearance fees alone. Does the Government want to discriminate? Why can’t the Government assist the Mighty Warriors, who actually represented Zimbabwe at a higher level than that where the Warriors went to the Africa Cup of Nations?”

Hlongwane said the Mighty Warriors’ Afcon campaign request did not get anywhere near the million dollars which was given to the Warriors.

He said a committee made up of corporate members was put together to mobilise resources.

“This was after it had proven to be very difficult for us to extract funding from treasury in respect of that particular trip. I also want to report that even as we put together a committee of members of the corporate sector, it was not easy for a meaningful mobilisation of resources to be realised. This speaks to the general attitude and national psyche around women’s sport in the country. This is a matter that all of us have to deal with head on,” Hlongwane said. The Chronicle