Friday, March 29, 2024

Government calls for popularisation of judo and other sports in the rural areas

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Japanese Ambassador to Zambia Kiyoshi Koinuma with NCCL Varun Mahajan at the inauguration ceremony of the shipping of the coffee beans to Japan produced by Olam Limited today. The event was also attended by Agriculture Minister Given Lubinda
Japanese Ambassador to Zambia Kiyoshi Koinuma with NCCL Varun Mahajan at the inauguration ceremony of the shipping of the coffee beans to Japan produced by Olam Limited today. The event was also attended by Agriculture Minister Given Lubinda

Government has called for popularisation of judo among other sports in the rural areas.

And Japanese Ambassador to Zambia Kiyoshi Koinuma pledged to support the Zambia Judo Association (ZJA) with material and other logistics through a new initiative dubbed ‘sports for Tomorrow’.

And ZJA president Alfred Foloko says three judokas namely Matthews Punza, Abigal Chindele and Boas Munyonga are currently representing Zambia at a high profile tournament in a named country.

Sports and Youth development minister Vincent Mwale says Judo is one such sport that need to be revived in the rural area as it is almost defunct in the areas.

The Minister said this in Lusaka today during the Japanese ambassador’s judo tournament held at Olympic Youth Development Centre.

This was in a speech ready for him by Chief Sports Development Officer, Gibson Muyaule.

He commended the Japanese government for the continued sponsorship towards judo which he described growing sport and could be an indispensable factor especially in children.

The minister said Zambia and Japan has continued to exchange cultural programmes through sport besides cementing the bilateral relations that exists between the two countries.

And Japanese Ambassador to Zambia Kiyoshi Koinuma pledged to support the Zambia Judo Association (ZJA) with material and other logistics through a new initiative dubbed ‘sports for Tomorrow’.

Koinuma disclosed that his country has been selected to host the 2020 Olympic and Paralympic games and expressed gratitude that Zambian judokas would reap medals in 2020 Tokyo Olympic Games.

“I would like to continue to promote interactions of people between our two countries not only in economic fields but also in culture, arts and sport fields,” he said.

The Japanese envoy added that judo has been adopted as a discipline at the Olympic games hence supporting vigorous training among Zambian judokas participating at different platforms.

And ZJA president Alfred Foloko says three judokas namely Matthews Punza, Abigal Chindele and Boas Munyonga are currently representing Zambia at a high profile tournament in a named country.

Foloko challenged judokas in the country to build their life skills through practicing judo by being assertive, self-defence and disciplined.

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