Sports, Arts and Recreation Minister Kirsty Coventry believes all is on track for the finalisation of the Sport, Leisure and Recreation Bill as well as the Sport Integrity Bill.
Speaking at the third write-shop session held at Zimbabwe Olympic Committee yesterday, Minister Coventry, said:
"As a ministry we facilitated for the initial write-shop process sessions on both Bills in 2021 and as we deliver this process, it is paramount to always remember that foundational principles, spirit and desires of the two draft Bills which, we are here to input on today (yesterday).
"The Sport, Leisure and Recreation Bill is a farsighted enterprise that seeks to redefine the Governance of Sport and Recreation in Zimbabwe. The compelling urgency of this Bill is to enhance the broader agenda of securing a space for Zimbabwe's sport and recreation sector in the global arena.
"In the same vein, the fruition of this proposed Bill will pave a strategic course for sport and recreation to significantly contribute to Zimbabwe's Gross Domestic Product (GDP)," said Minister Coventry.
The Bills are aimed at complementing the National Sport and Recreation Policy, as it will proffer provisions for athlete and performance development.
"To ensure viability of this goal, the Bill will provide structures for comprehensive sport administration and a wide range of support programmes to athletes.
"Through the Bill, there will be an organised system of providing distinguished athlete opportunities to participate and excel in domestic, regional, continental and international competitions.
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"The Bill will offer strategic guidelines for nurturing athletes, athlete support personnel, administrators and the general sport environment with unmistakable potential to excel.
"Compatibly, the Sports integrity Bill seeks to provide for the elimination, through legislation, of corrosive and detrimental depravities in sport such as match fixing, fraud, corruption, doping as well pulverised activities such as clientelism, rent seeking, riots and violence.
"It also intends to give guidance in the management of progressive tenets in sport such as investment and intellectual property rights management.
"It is also the primary purpose of this Bill to lead to the establishment of a National Anti-Doping Agency, Special Investigation Unit, Dispute Resolution and Arbitration Unit.
"It is hoped that the setting up of this Bill and establishment of the aforesaid institutions will aid in the sanitisation of the sport sector and proffer it as a viable vehicle for socio-economic transformation.
The promulgation of this Bill will also entail compliance by Zimbabwe to the Olympic Charter, UNESCO Convention on the Elimination of Doping in Sport, Statute of the African Union Sports Council among other global integrity guidelines in sport documents which Zimbabwe is a signatory thereof," added Coventry
