The OYDC Zambia has launched a new five-year strategic plan with the aim of investing in facilities to help raise the level of high-performance sport in the country.
The strategy, which spans from 2023 to 2028, outlines a new masterplan for the OYDC Zambia – the biggest sports complex in the African nation and in which the National Olympic Committee of Zambia (NOCZ) is a key stakeholder.
It is hoped that OYDC Zambia will become a “world class sports centre of excellence” over the next five years and contribute to the country’s desire to win medals on the Olympic stage.
“As we launch this strategic plan, we want this centre to be able to rise to the standards that it can be compared to across the globe,” said Simangolwa Shakalima, chair of the OYDC Zambia Board of Trustees.
“This is the vision that we have as the board as well as the management of the OYDC Zambia.
“Of late we have attracted keen interest from the continent the Association of National Olympic Committees of Africa (ANOCA) and other countries that this facility should become a centre of excellence and continue nurturing and producing sports heroes not only at the grassroots level but also at high performance by training and conducting various competitions attracting magnitudes of spectators.”
Shakalima revealed that the OYDC Zambia had received commitments from local and international organisations including ANOCA to revamp some facilities.
He also urged other bodies to consider allowing the OYDC Zambia to run sports programmes and ensure the maintenance of facilities.
The 24-page strategic plan reflects on the past 10 years where the OYDC Zambia claims it has gone through “a lot of revolutionary changes that have been influenced by both avoidable and unavailable internal and external factors”.
“One of such direction-changing experiences was the IOC’s (International Olympic Committee) decision to reduce the OYDC grant and their recommendation for OYDC to stop using the ‘Rings’ and the word ‘Olympic’ in the name,” a statement from the OYDC Zambia in the document read.
“Hence rebranding was necessary.
“This is why in 2019, the centre’s trading name changed from Olympic Youth Development Centre to OYDC Zambia Sports Development Centre.”
The OYDC Zambia claimed it hoped to provide more support to National Federations and the NOCZ in preparing athletes for the 2024 and 2028 Olympic Games in Paris and Los Angeles, respectively.
Zambia has competed at every Summer Olympic Games since it made its debut at Tokyo 1964, with the exception of Montreal 1976 when they joined the African boycott.
They have won two medals, a bronze for boxer Keith Mwila in the light flyweight division at Los Angeles 1984 and a silver for Samuel Matete in the 400 metres hurdles at Altanta 1996.
At the re-arranged 2020 Olympic Games in Tokyo, Zambia were represented in five sports, including women’s football.
“The need to develop and improve high performance athletes both locally and internationally through the implementation of a structured system and working with NFs still stands and we hope to leverage these opportunities for better sports outcomes,” added the OYDC Zambia.
“We are convinced that by having the right human capital, who are fully guided and supported by effective governance structures, we will effectively maintain facilities needed for impactful programme delivery.
“These will need an aggressive business development plan to raise the needed finances.”
Source: Inside The Games
