Assume Beraho gone, so what?

Poof! Elbowing out the National Olympics Committee littered boss will not certainly be an outstanding therapy to the prevalent oasis of chronicle problems in our country’s sports administration. Fine, Beraho or anyone else can go. But would that bring a lasting solution to the way business is being conducted at clubs, federations, Olympics body and ministry? Well, individuals could be a problem in one way or the other but the most fundamental hitch at the center of this matter is lack of a formidable system in place to provide a clear roadmap. It’s unfortunate that our developmental strategy, vision 2020, did not give much needed attention to sports development. The sports sector, as a result, is not on the chapter with other sectors that are notching down milestones after every the other day. Sports progress remains blurred. Candidly speaking, running like a headless hen clearly suits description of our sports management. It’s high time our officials stopped pointing figures and develop a long term strategy. Today, more efforts are being wasted on paying attention to individual conflicts rather than working out ways to formulate a country sports strategy. Look at it this way; club and federation presidents only converge when there is either an issue of asking someone to resign or grilling someone to death. They hardly think of meeting on regular basis to consult each other on better ways to develop various developmental programmes. With modern systems, sports disciplines are not managed in isolation. While chatting with one of The New Times columnists, Rama Isibo, he shared with me something interesting. He told me that while at school in England, his school football team would have coaches from different sports disciplines to complement the work by the soccer coach. A volleyball coach would teach the soccer team on the positioning technique. A basketball coach would take soccer players through physical exercises to build their springing power; he would also work on their player-marking. This type way of doing things can only be embedded in a culture of working together and driven by developmental minds. I strongly believe that managing sports in developing nations like Rwanda it’s like a sharp thorn on its way into a one-year old ankle wound. In simpler words, it must be frustrating due to a couple of factors. One; it is not paying, and thus less attractive to good skilled people. Two; it’s not a priority. Three; Most sports talents are school dropouts, and thus difficult to manage and so stressing. Four; there is lack of a long-term and detailed strategy. Five: officials who feather their own nests at the cost of athletes. Not to mention but a few, lack of accountability and responsibility has hit this sector like an avalanche. But there must be a path forward. What’s the way forward? Just like we have Economic Development and poverty Reduction Strategy (EDPRS), sports sector should do something similar in nature. There is a need of a document setting out objectives, priorities and major policies on basis of a five-year term. Just like we have National Information and Communication Infrastructure Plan that is divided into four phases in a span of 20 years aligned with vision 2020, we need a similar approach. In my previous column, I expressed my disliking to the beleaguered National Olympics Body president Ignace Beraho. My view was he should throw in a towel, and remains unchanged. The major reason I want him to leave the office it’s because many people including the minister might be using him as a scapegoat and cover up their flaws. It therefore is better he leaves now and then we see what happens next. ensekanabo@gmail.com