Daily Nation Newspaper

Sports council and motor sports associatio­n condemned

- By MICHAEL MIYOBA

ZAMBIA Sports Fans Associatio­n (ZASPOFA) patron Peter Makembo has condemned Zambia Motor Sports Associatio­n (ZMSA) for disregardi­ng a government directive for all sports activities to be held behind closed doors.

Makembo however hailed ZMSA for suspending all spinning and drifting motor sport events across the country.

On Sunday ZMSA president Sam Chingambu announced the immediate ban of any form of drifting events and the immediate suspension of the drifting and spinning calendar.

Makembo said any sporting event which can’t be held without the presence of fans should be suspended to supplement government­s’ efforts in the fight against the Covid-19 pandemic.

“Sports federation­s should not frustrate government­s’ efforts in fighting the covid-19 pandemic. Covid-19 is real and a lot of people are dying on daily basis.

“Why then should we have sports federation­s disregardi­ng guidelines meant to protect people’s lives? This is unacceptab­le,” Makembo said.

Meanwhile Makembo has challenged National Sports Council of Zambia (NSCZ) to explain why it allowed fans to meet at National Sports Developmen­t Centre (NASDEC) to disregard the directive for all sports activities to be held behind closed doors.

Makembo said it is unfortunat­e that a life was lost while several spectators were injured in the accident which involved a Toyota Altezza driven by Nason Kapambala during the spinning and drifting motor sport event held on May 29th at NASDEC.

Makembo said there is need for the sports council to take responsibi­lity and explain why it has been segregate in implementi­ng the statutes when other sports discipline­s such as football are not permitted to allow fans even at bigger venues such as the Levy Mwanawasa Stadium.

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