OYDC Zambia has received the much-anticipated state-of-the-art multipurpose hall floor mat from France which was donated by the Association of National Olympic Committees in Africa (ANOCA) to the National Olympic Committee of Zambia (NOCZ).
The OYDC Zambia in 2021 announced that it was set to have some of its “worn out” facilities facelifted. This exercise is being done through the National Olympic Committee of Zambia (NOCZ) which was selected among other NOCs in the region to benefit from a sponsorship agreement signed between the Association of National Olympic Committees in Africa (ANOCA) and Gerflor a leading renowned flooring company in the world.
Donation of the floor mat is timely with the OYDC Zambia’s 2023 to 2028 Strategic Plan whose main focus is investing in facilities to support high-performance sports.
OYDC Zambia Chief Executive Officer Dr Fredrick Chitangala says ‘We are happy that today finally the long-awaited donation from ANOCA has arrived at OYDC. This is the floor mat that is made to be used in our multipurpose hall it consists of 35 pieces of mats and we hope that in the next 30 days, we will be able to have it fitted in the main hall. This floor is long-awaited, and it was donated by ANOCA in 2022 and it arrived in Dar es Salaam in May 2023. You know that our strategic plan from 2023 to 2028 focuses much on facility maintenance and this is just the beginning of that journey and our main hall will be the first one to have a new look’.
Dr Chitangala expresses hope that other facilities such as the boxing hall, outdoor courts and athletics track & field will also have a new look by the end of the five-year strategic plan stating that the OYDC Zambia is working with the government through the Ministry of Youth, Sport and Arts to find support and have some of the facilities renovated.
And National Olympic Committee of Zambia (NOCZ) Secretary General Boniface Kambikambi has disclosed that the committee is happy to receive the donation from ANOCA which has arrived at the OYDC Zambia.
Kambikambi says ANOCA should be applauded for having made the OYDC Zambia have a high standard floor which will not only be used by local athletes but other international athletes too. He says OYDC Zambia is earmarked to be a high-performance center hence the need to have most of the facilities in good shape.
“As you are aware, OYDC Zambia is earmarked to be a high-performance center. Equipment like this will enhance the facility and this is what we have been looking out for. As NOCZ we have been looking forward to this so that we can give opportunities to our elite athletes to utilize some of the facilities that they find at international centers. It has taken a bit of time to be here; there were some challenges with the shipping company and it was harboured in Tanzania port. NOC had to come in to help OYDC facilitate this and ensure that the floor mat is in Zambia knowing that it has particularly incurred some extra costs. I have had a look at the quality of the material it has a wooden finish which is good. It’s the first of its kind here in Zambia” he said.
Present to witness the receiving of the floor mat were Handball Association of Zambia (HAZ) president Victor Banda who is also NOCZ treasurer, OYDC Zambia HR & Finance Committee Chairperson Doreen Namusenga, NOCZ and OYDC Zambia members of staff among others.
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