Story by Lawrence Trusida, Sports Editor
STAKEHOLDERS in combat sport have commended the Zimbabwe National Boxing and Wrestling Control Board for holding its first-ever Annual General Meeting (AGM) in Harare on Tuesday, where discussions centred on growing the sport and resolving long-standing challenges.
The AGM marks a decisive step towards professionalising combat sport in Zimbabwe, with the board seeking to strengthen governance structures and improve operational efficiency.
Boxing and wrestling have long been hamstrung by various challenges, but stakeholders believe the board is now moving in the right direction.
“We are happy that the board is adopting corporate governance, and this is commendable, especially after such a long time without one. The conversations we had here, heated or not, will help shape the sport because we all want to ensure that boxing thrives in the country,” said veteran boxing promoter, Stalin Mau Mau.
Interim Zimbabwe Wrestling Federation president, Jonathan Muvingi, added, “We are grateful. Having such initiatives helps us understand and get answers to some of the questions we had. Sometimes we speak from an uninformed position because of lack of information.”
With promoters raising concerns over promotion fees, the board says it is engaging all parties to find common ground.
“We are a grant-aided institution and we survive on those levies. Out of the money we were allocated, we only received 33%, which curtailed our operations. However, we initiated stakeholder meetings to reach an understanding, and this has helped a lot as we are now speaking with one voice.
“We are also setting up a benevolent fund, which will be financed through these levies. We are happy because we are working well with stakeholders,” explained board chairperson, Vee Chibanda.
Looking ahead, the board plans to integrate Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) next year, with hopes of hosting its first-ever show.
