’orts associations Šo’e for im’ro˜ed „ud‰et

MBABANE – We are hoping for an improved sports budget this year.

These were the sentiments shared by some of the country¶s sports asso ciations ahead of the 0 3 %udget Speech by the Minister of Finance 1eal RiMkenberg today in Parliament.

Sports was allocated over E million last year, which was split to all the associations, with Eswatini Football Association (EFA) getting E million for Sihlangu from the government. The Ministry of Sports, Culture and

EFA Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Frederick Mngome]ulu said as an organisation which was helped by government to subsidise their inter national expenses such as travelling expenses for all the national teams, they were anticipating what would be allocated to them in today¶s budget speech.

Anticipating

³:e are anticipating the budget speech as you know that we rely on government for other expenses and we hope that we will get an improved allocation as our wish this year is to see all our national teams participating in all the tournaments,´ Mngome]ulu said.

,t is worth noting that EFA¶s first assignment this year is to send the national team Sihlangu for the TO

TA/Energies Africa Cup of 1ations (AFCO1) Tualifiers against Cape 9erde.

Eswatini Olympic and Common wealth *ames Association (EOC*A)

CEO Maxwell Jele said even though they did not rely on government for funding, but as a stakeholder in sports they were looking for an improved budget for the country to be able to send athletes to international games, as there were a number of games lined up this year.

Eswatini Cycling Association (ECA) President =wide 1dwandwe also shared the same sentiments made by EFA CEO, saying an increased sports budget would encourage them to improve the sport.

Limited

³:e want to send some of our cy clists to high performance facilities in South Africa this year, but without an improved budget we are limited in executing our plans well,´ he said.

Meanwhile, Athletics Eswatini (AE) Public Relations Officer (PRO) 9ictor µMavikane¶ 'lamini said as a federation with an interest in sports over the years, they were looking forward to an increased allocation for sports, as it was difficult to run the associations on a limited budget.

³,t is high time that sports is made an industry as we know that it creates employment for many, but without the proper funding it would be diffi cult to attain that goal,´ 'lamini said.

+e, however, said that they were aware of the effects of the CO9 ,' pandemic and the economic challenges experienced globally, but were hopeful of an improved budget for sports.

(File pic) Athletics Esawtini PRO Victor ‘ Mavikane’ Dalmini.