Malawi declared fit to host Youth Games
The African Union Sports Council (Ausc) Region 5 team to assess capabilities of Malawi to host the 2022 Youth Games has given the country a greenlight.
This was disclosed on Wednesday in Lilongwe when Ausc Region Five chief executive officer Stanley Mutoya briefed the media.
He said: “Our first mission was to come here and do an assessment of infrastructure. There are four phases that are required for a country to host the games.
“Firstly, we look at the country’s capacity to host
convinced
games, secondly if the hosts have support services to host the games, third if the country can deliver successful games and fourth if the country can deliver exceptional games.”
Mutoya said they are satisfied after inspecting infrastructure in Lilongwe such as Bingu National Stadium, Silver Stadium and Civo Stadium, Nankhaka Ground, Lilongwe University of Agriculture and Natural Resources (Luanar) Bunda Campus, Kamuzu Institute for Sports, African Bible College and the indoor sports complex under construction.
He said: “We are convinced that Silver, Civo and Nankhaka can host football, Kamuzu Institute can host boxing and swimming, Bingu National Stadium can host athletics and football and also be used as command centre. Luanar and the Malawi College of Health Sciences can be used to accommodate athletes and officials.
“We are not saying the facilities are ready. In the next six months we are going to ensure milestones and requirements to make the facilities ready, secure and safe to host the games.”
Mutoya said they have been assured of government commitment after meeting president Lazarus Chakwera to construct, rehabilitate and improve infrastructure in six months’ time.
He said his delegation included compliance officer Dr Nicholas Munyonga to ensure that sports villages meet medical requirements.
“We cannot host games without meeting strict medical requirements. Dr Nicholas is an expert and after assessing the Luanar and the College of Education he believe the two facilities have the emergency service,” he said.
Ministry of Youth and Sports Principal Secretary Oliver Kumbambe said his ministry will meet the requirements.
“We are committed to ensuring everything is in place and we thank the President for his commitment to ensuring we have good games as host country,” he said.
