Sports must become economic driver - Bogosi
Get in stride with global trend
The member states of the African Union Sports Council Region 5 were urged to get their house in order and make the region a main-event destination that will drive the local economies.
Adam Hartman
The global sports industry generates billions of dollars and revolutionises economies through broadcasting rights, licencing and endorsements, as well as participant and spectatorship tourism, and yet southern Africa seems not to be playing the same game.
This was the message of the African Union Sports Council (AUSC) Region 5 executive committee chairman, Imon Bogosi, during the official opening of the annual two-day committee meeting at Swakopmund last week.
Region 5 consists of the sport administrations of Namibia, Angola, Botswana, South Africa, Eswatini, Lesotho, Malawi, Mozambique, Zambia and Zimbabwe.
Bogosi said the region continuously faces challenges to attain its vision of being the leading sport organisation in Africa, placing the blame on member states idling in the implementation of programmes approved by the council.
“Sport has transformed over the years into a multibillion-dollar industry globally, but in this part of the world, we remained docile and stagnant in this respect.
“We remain amateurs; our facilities remain decapitated and neglected, and sport management remains in a debris of conflict, unethical conduct and maladministration. It is time to rise to the occasion and restore the integrity of our sport.”
Economically empower athletes
Bogosi encouraged countries to sell themselves as safe destinations and become hosts of major events. This, he said, will result in economic activity that will benefit not only the region, but also ensure that athletes are economically empowered to make sure they can live off their talents.
“Our vision must be that we become a main-event destination. We need to perfect the art of hosting such events and being prepared to attract such events. We have the capacity to achieve this and change the complexion of sport in our region,” he said. “We need to be candid with ourselves and be brave enough to come up with solutions.” The sport ministry - through the Namibia Sport Commission - hosted the event.
Minister Agnes Tjongarero said the region’s sporting industry must be “ingenious and creative” in diversifying revenue sources as governments will be preoccupied with the production of basic immediate necessities to improve and sustain people’s livelihoods – especially in light of Covid-19 and the effect of the war in Europe.
Focus
“Focus on the fundamentals of sports development and sports for development in view of the social outcomes of health benefits, economic benefits, education benefits and tourism benefits of sport,” she encouraged.
“We need to ensure that our orderliness and administrative excellence translates into medals and sustainable development through attainment of set social outcomes targets. Our focus must not be limited to what happens in the field of play, but on matters that transform lives and livelihoods, communities and nations through sport before and after the competitive years of our athletes.”
She agreed that the region needs to unite in attracting investment in sport through hosting of major events such as competitions, conferences and symposiums.
Tjongarero also informed the attendees of Namibia and Botswana’s joint bid to host the 2027 Football Africa Cup of Nations.
The global sports industry generates billions of dollars and revolutionises economies through broadcasting rights, licencing and endorsements, as well as participant and spectatorship tourism, and yet southern Africa seems not to be playing the same game.
This was the message of the African Union Sports Council (AUSC) Region 5 executive committee chairman, Imon Bogosi, during the official opening of the annual two-day committee meeting at Swakopmund last week.
Region 5 consists of the sport administrations of Namibia, Angola, Botswana, South Africa, Eswatini, Lesotho, Malawi, Mozambique, Zambia and Zimbabwe.
Bogosi said the region continuously faces challenges to attain its vision of being the leading sport organisation in Africa, placing the blame on member states idling in the implementation of programmes approved by the council.
“Sport has transformed over the years into a multibillion-dollar industry globally, but in this part of the world, we remained docile and stagnant in this respect.
“We remain amateurs; our facilities remain decapitated and neglected, and sport management remains in a debris of conflict, unethical conduct and maladministration. It is time to rise to the occasion and restore the integrity of our sport.”
Economically empower athletes
Bogosi encouraged countries to sell themselves as safe destinations and become hosts of major events. This, he said, will result in economic activity that will benefit not only the region, but also ensure that athletes are economically empowered to make sure they can live off their talents.
“Our vision must be that we become a main-event destination. We need to perfect the art of hosting such events and being prepared to attract such events. We have the capacity to achieve this and change the complexion of sport in our region,” he said. “We need to be candid with ourselves and be brave enough to come up with solutions.” The sport ministry - through the Namibia Sport Commission - hosted the event.
Minister Agnes Tjongarero said the region’s sporting industry must be “ingenious and creative” in diversifying revenue sources as governments will be preoccupied with the production of basic immediate necessities to improve and sustain people’s livelihoods – especially in light of Covid-19 and the effect of the war in Europe.
Focus
“Focus on the fundamentals of sports development and sports for development in view of the social outcomes of health benefits, economic benefits, education benefits and tourism benefits of sport,” she encouraged.
“We need to ensure that our orderliness and administrative excellence translates into medals and sustainable development through attainment of set social outcomes targets. Our focus must not be limited to what happens in the field of play, but on matters that transform lives and livelihoods, communities and nations through sport before and after the competitive years of our athletes.”
She agreed that the region needs to unite in attracting investment in sport through hosting of major events such as competitions, conferences and symposiums.
Tjongarero also informed the attendees of Namibia and Botswana’s joint bid to host the 2027 Football Africa Cup of Nations.
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