THE National Olympic Committee (NOC) has advised sports associations to begin identifying quality athletes in earnest in readiness for the Glasgow 2014 Commonwealth Games.

During the NOC annual general meeting held at Mukuba Hotel in Ndola at the weekend, the national sports bodies were told to start their search for potential medal winners for the 20th Commonwealth Games set for Scotland early.

Zambia, last got a gold medal at the Commonwealth Games in 2002 through boxer, Kennedy Kanyanta.

Apart from emphasising on early preparations for the Glasgow Games, NOC would soon present a report to Government based on recommendations from associations on some of the reasons for Zambia's continued dismal performance at major international sports spectacles.

The report would be presented to the Government for scrutiny and possible action. Zambia has been poor at international events like the Olympics, Commonwealth and All-Africa Games.

Sports associations also adopted the NOC financial report and also discussed the London 2012 London Olympic Games where Zambian athletes failed to make a mark.

And NOC board member, Chenda Chilufya was banned from all sporting activities for two years following a complaint from the Zambia Taekwondo Federation (ZTF).

The Sports Council of Zambia (SCZ) slapped the ban on Friday which the NOC board upheld during its meeting in Ndola at the weekend.

NOC secretary general, Hazel Kennedy said ZTF had problems with its former president Chilufya and felt he should not continue representing them on the NOCZ board.

Kennedy said ZTF took up the matter with SCZ who presided over it and recommended Chilufya's suspension to NOC.

She said SCZ signed the two-year suspension letter on Friday night and the NOCZ board obliged to uphold the decision on Saturday.

"The Taekwondo Federation had problems with their outgoing president, Chenda Chilufya. They didn't feel he should continue representing them on the NOC board and took the matter to SCZ.

As NOC we could not do anything until we get the findings of SCZ. So NOC upheld SCZ decision to ban him for two years," she said.

But Chilufya said he could not comment on the matter because he had not yet received his suspension letter.

He, however, said his conscience was clear and that he would accept the decision and move on. In December 2010, ZTF had expelled Chilufya for allegedly mismanaging the affairs of the organisation.