Sebina to take TAFIC to the Promised Land
Sport
The newly elected TAFIC Football Club Chairperson, Carlos Sebina has promised to transform the Francistown based club which was relegated to the dusty grounds in Debswana First Division North league during the 2017/2018 season.
Since the beginning of the current season, TAFIC has been on song, so far the team is at the summit of First Division North log with 13 points from five games and they are yet to taste defeat. In an interview with WeekendSport, Sebina said ever since he assumed his new role he has realised that TAFIC does not have management structures which might have contributed to the fall of Matjimenyenga as TAFIC is popularly called by its legion of supporters.
“My preliminary investigations have revealed that there was no clarity of roles in the previous committee which caused a lot of confusion,” Sebina pointed out. He explained that one of his first goals is to ensure that the team has active structures which have professionals who will assist to take TAFIC to greater heights. The shrewd business man noted that in the previous committee people were elected without considering their area of expertise.
He says under his leadership he will ensure that the club improves record keeping ensuring that there is transparency and accountability. “TAFIC has been operating using a single bank account but I have since convinced my committee to open two other accounts for operations and investments,” he said. Sebina is of the view that having different bank accounts will make sure that the team run smoothly.
Sebina has already hit the ground running by also opening a postal address for TAFIC which did not have an address to receive important correspondences. “My committee and I have already assembled a technical team lead by Zimbabwean coach, Elias Chinyemba, who is doing a great work so far. My dream is to see TAFIC being promoted to the elite league next season but if we get promotion this season, it will be a bonus, “he said.
“As the new committee we want to ensure that players’ welfare issues are given prominence. We want to ensure that players receive their salaries well on time so that they are motivated to excel on the pitch.” TAFIC has been struggling financially which is one of the reasons that caused the team to be condemned to the first division. Sebina says he will soon meet with the business community in the second city in an endeavour to solicit financial sponsorship for the team.
He revealed that so far the responses from some of his associates have shown kin interest to assist the team. Sebina is also scheduled to meet city mayor Sylvia Muzila to discuss how the city council can lend a helping land. He told this publication that the city council has promised to give TAFIC a piece of land which could be developed and generate income for the team. He has also promised to travel across the country to resuscitate the team’s branches to increase the support base.
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Sport
AFRICA’S RECOVERY: Sports as game changer
The year 2022 witnessed unprecedented phenomena. Several Africans- Gotytom Gebreslase, Sharon Lokedi, Victor Kiplangat, Tamarit Tola and many others- swept the World’s marathons records.
However, the COVID-19 pandemic, and the resulting control measures implemented in several countries, led to many high-level sports competitions being cancelled or shelved, the Dakar 2022 Youth Olympic Games was moved to 2026.
Founder and Executive Chairman, African Sports and Creative Institute, Will Mabiakop, says the inability to hold traditional and amateur sports events have had a serious effect on public health overall, including mental health, sparking a revolution whereby athletes began to talk more openly about stress, mental overload and performance anxiety.
“Africa is home to the fastest growing economies before the crisis, no longer on track to meet the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). COVID-19 deepened interdependence between SDGs, making them harder to achieve, especially SDG 10 (reducing inequality) and SDG 5 (gender equality_ as the pandemic had a disproportionate impact on poorer countries, and heavier burdens (such as care work) fell to women.”
Mabiakop stresses that as policymakers contemplate actions to speed up recovery and build resilience, they must argue that sports and creative businesses should play a central feature in this effort.
“The sports economy worldwide is estimated at 5% of GDP, but only 0.5% in Africa. If exploited, Africa’s sports and creative industries can offer policymakers innovative solutions. Especially, as regards job creation, and providing employment to the 15 million people entering the job market annually.”
HOW CAN THE INDUSTRY DO THIS?
By leveraging the two-for-one concept: past studies shown that a 1% growth in the economy delivers a 2% job increment in this sector (these ratios are calculated using data from 48 African countries and adjusted to the reality of the sports economy in Africa by the authors). There are between 30 and 50 job types, in sports and creative industries, respectively. These jobs do not fade away with the first major shock.
Mabiakop indicated that policymakers can use these industries to tackle multiple crises- jobs, poverty, and climate risks. Sports diplomacy- defined as communication, representation and negotiation in or through the prism of sports- has proven effective in building inclusive and cohesive societies. Moreover, sports and the creative industry can support better mental health and well-being, both important for productivity.
“Policymakers can also be true to the game by leveraging culture and tradition to celebrate identity and reap commercial value in sports, textiles and jewelry. Creative sectors allow deeper connection with culture, are not easily copied and provide great economic potential.”
He said supporting grassroots sports has powerful distributional effects. “Fortunately, technology has made reaching wide audiences easier, generating higher rates of success when talent is discovered.”
However, Mabiakop held that potential pitfalls must be highlighted. “First avoid build it and they will come policies with infrastructures denuded from the rest of the ecosystem. Like the many sports stadiums left largely unused.”
“Policymakers must remain mindful of how these sectors move the needle in human capital development. Also, align the requisite public policies needed for progress from grassroots participation to professional sports, and even to international sporting events. They should also support investment instruments to render these sectors performant.”