Saturday, June 1, 2024

Kambwili blames mines for the country’s poor performance at the London 2012 Olympic Games

Share

Sports Minister Chishimba Kambwili
Sports Minister Chishimba Kambwili

MINISTER of Sport and Youth Chishimba Kambwili has blamed some mining companies for the country’s poor performance at the London 2012 Olympic Games.

Kambwili said in an interview yesterday that Zambian athletes failed to perform to expectations at the Games because the mines have not invested in sports development.

He said mines should be fully involved in sports development because Zambia’s major source of revenue is the mines.

Kambwili noted that Zambia managed to win medals at the 1984 and 1996 Olympics because at that time the Zambia Consolidated Copper Mines (ZCCM) was fully involved in sports promotion and
development.

Light-flyweight boxer Keith Mwila won a bronze medal at the 1984 Olympics in Los Angeles and 400m hurdler Samuel Matete minted silver at the 1996 Atlanta Games.

“The lesson from the Olympics is a bitter pill. I have always said and will continue saying that our athletes will not do anything without proper investment in sport. The mines are to blame for what is happening because they are not supporting sport.

“When ZCCM was active, we used to have activities for different sporting disciplines every weekend because they appreciated sport. But now, there is nothing to talk about and these are the results we are now seeing,” he said.

Zambia was represented at the Games by runners Chaoness Choosha (100m), Gerald Phiri (100m) Prince Mumba (800m) light-welterweight boxer Gilbert Choombe, judoka Boas Munyonga and swimmers Zane Jordan and Jade Howard.

Only Phiri managed to progress beyond the first round. He qualified for the semi-final after finishing third in his heat.

And Kambwili observed that Zambian athletes are inconsistent. He said most athletes fizzle out after four or five years of good form.

“The 100m sprinter [Phiri] is a good athlete but the problem is that he may not be the same at the next Olympics because our athletes are not resilient,” he said.

Meanwhile, Kambwili said he will soon meet sports association to chart the way forward for the 2012 Supreme Council for Sport in Africa (SCSA) Zone Six Under-20 Games.

Zambia will host the 5th edition of the Games in December.

 

[Zambia Daily Mail]

48 COMMENTS

  1. He should also blame the mines for Chipolopolo victory at AFCON 2012.
    If the mines were involved in sports, like before, we would not have one the Africa cup.

  2. The contest to become Zambia’s top comedian is really heating up! Toadface cant even wait for Shame(nda) to leave the stage.Mines are private property get over it! Whats wrong with Copperbelt people? TIME FOR HAND OUTS IS LONG GONE

    • Point of correction…. Copperbelt has been the engine running the whole country to this day. But what do they get in return for their hard work? Next to nothing!!
      The residents only ask for a fair share of wealth they create from their sweat and this is not equivalent to handouts. Whats wrong with asking for a deserved fair share of wealth to be ploughed back into the copperbelt?
      The ugly truth is that without
      the copperbelt, even the “meager development” that has taken place countrywide would have not been possible.

  3. lol…..come on zambians lets chase these pathetic fools out in 2016. we cant develop like this, especially with men like Hon Chishimba in power. Sad thing is Sata would agree with him…lol. i cant stop laughing… 

  4. Don’t blame the mines but the govt attitude towards other sports than football. How much tax payers’ money from govt goes to football alone at the expense of other sports? Colossal amounts!!
    I am not against funding football but govt can extend the same funding enthusiasm they show towards football to other sports and the results will be different.
    More than 90% of the Ministry’s budget goes to football alone
    Stop point your accusatory finger at the wrong people (institutions) but yourselves.
    Don’t forget, you can only reap what you sow!!

  5. Kambwili, the poor performance of the Zambian athletes originates from your door step because you haven’t a clue as to what to do about sport in the present circumstances. You can’t and shouldn’t blame the mining companies because they are absolutely under no obligation by their shareholders, including the Zambian government, to invest in sport. You would do well to consult people worth consulting without antagonising them if we are to get anywhere in sport. Groping in the dark such as the rampant chicanery coming from you represents every day gets everybody more and more irritated by and disinterested in your imagined efforts. Forget about ZCCM, forget about the past, it’s long gone. The buck now stops at your door!

  6. Its all because the PF is in power otherwise our olympians would have performed brilliantly if a party like FDD or MMD were the ones in power.

  7. As if the pathetic medals we won in 84 and 96 are worth talking about! If we had been winning medals in the past like the Kenyans, then perhaps hippo face would have a point. He can inspire the youth to do better by getting fit himself – it is a disgrace to have a sports minister who is not only a clueless thug, but a fat b.astard as well.

  8. thats shocking stupid leadership. always finger pointing . mines pay taxes its the govt’s responsibility to deliver in all aspects, education, sports and youth development, health sector , manufacturing and the like. 

  9. Poor Kambwili, he doesn’t understand the situation
    comparing foreign mining companies to former ZCCM LOL
    In the 60?s, 70?s and 80?s ZCCM ran mines, our state-owned company was able to built hospitals and schools, provide free medicine and finance sport
    In the 90s there was low copper price -$1,500 a ton- it was difficult to run mines and Zed was crippled. At this time, IMF hold a gun at Zeds head to nationalize mines because they thought Zambian people are too incompetent and they pretended copper price will be low for many years -Edith Nawakwi explained that- Then mines were sold for a song and DAs were concluded -Thanks to Chiluba the thief !-
    Then copper price increased and now foreign mining companies make huge profits

  10. continued

    and the govt has difficulties to build hospitals, roads -whereas copper price is around $75000 a ton- because now mining cash goes to Muzungus , Wachina and Wahindis shareholders. Mining corporate social responsibilities are ridiculous, they don’t care about Zambian sport, they want to make huge profits by extorting Zambian People without overstepping the mark…

    This economic model is bad, former govt was rotten to the core and this actual one is too lenient
    Poor Zed

  11. Jamaicans, GB, chinese & Americans are simply the best @ 2012 London Olympics. Lets not cheat ourselves, those chaps are nowhere near Bolt’and Blake’s standards. Shepolopolo 0 Zimbabwe 6, are we still blaming the mines!!

  12. They should introduce an ‘Empty Toadhead’ competition at the olympics, and then our very own Toadface can win us Gold.

  13. toad face or hippo face which is which.ati the mines are to blame.so shoprite should be condemed for the congestion in town.kekekekekekekekekekekek

  14. Zambia has only ever won one medal at the olympics. This was a bronze medal by boxer mwila at the 1984 Los Angeles games. It has nothing to do with the mines. The blame lies with the incompetent governments we’ve had since independence. And with a person like yourself Mr kambwili holding the sports portfolio, Zambia will not move forward sportswise.

  15. # 27

    you are wrong… zambia has won 2 others medals for ….. the best corrupt crook… :d
    a silver medal for JFT and a gold for rupiah

  16. Kwena this kaponya is ignorant. I am sure he doesn’t understand anything because he is always amidst noise-makers, the PF cloud and its bravado leader. If your ‘pabwato’ nonsense was a worthwhile slogan, why didn’t we send canoeists to the Olympics Chishilu kambwili? Find time to read your PF manifesto that is if you can read and understand, does it say that private mining companies are going to finance sport for Zambia to win medals? Sport starts from one’s early years, and that is govt responsibility to provide sporting facilities in Schools and children play schemes for the young to engage in sport. Education is not just listening to the teacher but sport also teaches children concentration and physical well-being ba Chishilu Kambwili- do you understand? Kwena PF mwasebana -ahah!

  17. It is very Embarrassing that a sports minister would be so shallow minded? Good performance comes with investing in sports and preparation. Have we as a nationa taken other sports serious other that Football? Get serious and do your work. Why blame the Mines?? Are they the only ones that can sponsor sports?? Dull FAT unhealthy Minister. Wonder how you would do well in sports with a Minister who does not even know a GYM. Lead by example Mr. FAT SPORTS MINISTER

  18. Uyu nao Chi-kala alashimya brain.Nganiena ati na Talia mu BB ni ba mines e ba lengele apele umu guys.Try very hard to think pleease twapapata ba kambwili.!!!!

  19. previously in the 80s zambia never won or took part in the olympics. we blame zccm for that. in the 1960s and 70s, never won or participated at the worlcup, zccm we blame you. whatelse?
    we never had a mordern stadium fro 1980 upto 2009, we blame zccm partly and the MMD for that. lets continue blaming…we may win a medal

  20. Even a nursery school teacher would make a better minister. Chamachakomboka was evenwiser than mrs Kambwili. How long Zambians shall we suffer someone needs to start a petition, a recall bi-election will cost us less than keeping this fool as an MP let alone a minister.

  21. Another F.O.O.L who does not know his job….  who told you that mining companies are here to sponsor them?

  22. #9 if chisunde sunde has transformed himself like this, then the Zambian world has turned upside down. So ba Chisunde sunde, what has changed?

  23. I hope your life more wonderful’s a I??m very glad to see such magnificent information being shared freely out there. post.

  24. I beloved as much as you’ll receive performed proper here. The caricature is attractive, your authored subject matter stylish. nonetheless, you command get bought an nervousness over that you wish be turning in the following. unwell indubitably come more before once more since exactly the similar just about very continuously within case you protect this hike.

Comments are closed.

Read more

Local News

Discover more from Lusaka Times-Zambia's Leading Online News Site - LusakaTimes.com

Subscribe now to keep reading and get access to the full archive.

Continue reading