Kavazovic blocks media interviews
Sport
Newly appointed Township Rollers head Coach; Nikola Kavazovic is not so fond of the local media. The Serbian has announced publicly that he will not engage the media nor take any match interviews at any given time.
Kavazovic announced how he would build the rigid wall between him and the local media shortly after a tightly contested game between his club Township Rollers and emerging premier league power houses, Orapa United. The game ended in 2 all draw. Kavazovic believes that some media houses (names withheld) are deliberately peddling untruths about him and more often than not, misquote him.
“I would like to apologise to every one of you who are writing lies about me every single day, which is why I came to tell you I’ve decided not to give any more interviews or statements while I am in Botswana.” He continued, “The reason is very simple, whatever I say, you are not going to pay attention to football, you are taking some words from my statements which bring me to the BPL and BFA courts. The BPL prosecutors are treating me like a criminal, like I killed a man.”
Kavazovic specifically refers to the incident that occurred after their game against premier league rookies Sharps Shooting Stars. He was quoted as referring to the club as a small team- words which apparently took him before the angry faces of the BFA jury. The Rollers mentor was tried for bringing the game of football into disrepute and pleaded not guilty two weeks ago. The judgment is still pending. All the while, and as a measure of caution Kavazovic will at all times attend to interviews from the television stations only.
It is not clear what his contract stipulates in as far as dealing with the media is concerned, but the premier league says it is still consulting to help tackle the issue. Should he remain steadfast on his insistency to distance himself from the media, the Serbian mentor will have taken the same route as former national team coach, Peter James Butler who too declared a media standoff while leading the Zebras.
Kavazovic started coaching in 1996 in BASK Belgrade, as a youth coach. Besides BASK, Kavazovic worked as youth and senior coach in BSK, Zarkovo, Borac and Resnik. In 1998, Kavazovic graduated from Belgrade Sports University as the youngest and highest educated football coach in SR Yugoslavia.
In January 2012, Kavazovic moved to Asia, Tajikistan, and became Istiqlol FC head coach. In his first season there, Istiqlol won the Tajikistan Super cup and AFC Presidents Cup. Also, they won a silver medal in the Tajikistan elite league, and lost Tajikistan Cup finals against Regar Tad Az after a penalty series.
In his second season, Istiqlol finished the first part of the season with a record of 8 wins, 0 draws and one defeat. After 8 straight wins, Istiqlol lost an away game to Champions Ravshan Kulob, and Kavazovic was sacked the following day, on June 17, 2013. Nowhere, along his football career reflects that he has had a bad relationship with the media.
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He stated that through the sponsorship of the marathon, the company will help promote healthy lifestyles and unity among the people of Selebi Phikwe.
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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.”