Finnish expert for SLIZ course

A HIGH-powered Finnish delegation, led by renowned sport administration instructor, Ari Johannes Koivu is expected in the country next week where they are expected to hold a two-day international sports management course, in liaison with the Sport Leaders Institute of Zimbabwe. The course, which begins on May 14, will be held in Harare.

SLIZ president Russel Mhiribidi confirmed the development and said the course is targeting sport administrators, physical education teachers as well as other sport leaders in the country’s sporting landscape. “I can confirm that the Sport Leaders Institute of Zimbabwe have entered into a partnership with a leading sports institution Liike Sports and Development to conduct an international sports management course in Harare between 14 and 15 May. “A high-powered delegation comprising the executive director of the Finnish institution Ari Johannes Koivu is expected in the country where they are expected to lecture on different subjects during the course. “As SLIZ, our mission is always to try and see to it that sport is commercialised. At the moment, our sport is not yet at that commercial level where we would want it to be. “Sport is an employer of hundreds of thousands but, unfortunately as a country we are still lagging behind. “Some issues of intellectual property rights and other things need to be addressed if we are to go forward as a country in terms of sports development especially with a commercial flair,’’ Mhiribidi said. Mhiribidi also described Koivu as an experienced instructor especially when it comes to his knowledge about the African continent having already facilitated courses in countries such as Tanzania and Kenya.

“The facilitator (Ari Johannes Koivu) has extensive African sports experience especially in East Africa where they run a sport development program especially in Tanzania. “He works with Jyvaskylla University -Finland and is an expert in strategic management and resources mobilisation,” SLIZ continue to grow in leaps and bounds as the leading institution tat caters for capacity building of sports administrators in the country.

Now in its’ fifth year, SLIZ last year broke new ground when they struck a partnership deal with West Virginia University’s, which culminated in the Unites States institution sending one of their top lecturers Floyd Jones conducted last year’s course, which was held at ZESA Training Centre in Harare which saw over 120 top administrators from various sporting associations, clubs and organisations taking part.