Times Of Swaziland: NETBALL’S E500 000  COVID-19 HEADACHE

NETBALL’S E500 000  COVID-19 HEADACHE
================================================================================
BY PHOLSILE HLOPHE on 03/06/2021 08:21:00


MBABANE – The testing of close to 600 players will be a challenge for the
Eswatini National netball association (ENNA) who are on a tight budget.
With a budget of only E20 000 given to each member of Netball Africa, ENNA would
have to seek other financial resources to accommodate all of its members in the
testing process. The association would have to part with at least E500 000 for
the testing of all regional and elite teams’ players using the PCR test which
costs E850 per head. The association has close to 40 affiliates, with each team
comprising 15 members, which leaves a total of about 600 players excluding
officials.
ENNA’s Secretary General Ntombikayise Masango said it was near impossible for
both the regional and elite league to resume their tournaments under the current
circumstances despite government having lifted the ban on netball and other ball
games. Masango recalled that the projected date for the return of netball was
July 10, 2020 as there were two pending games before the finals pitting the
defending champions Correctional Services and league rivals Royal Eswatini
Police Service (REPS). ENNA is an association that solely depends on
sponsorship, such as the league’s main sponsor Swaziland Building Society,
Inhlonhla Investment Company and Eileen Light that have invested in league
sponsorship in the past years.
Frustration
In light of this predicament, failure to raise the required amount would mean
the worst for the teams who have voiced their frustration after being inactive
for over one year. Masango said the elite teams would be first in line to test
for COVID-19 since the regional teams had already completed their league before
sports were put on ice following the spread of COVID-19, which forced the
suspension of all sports activities. Masango said the E20 000 budget was money
they were promised by Netball Africa’s COVID-19 Relief Fund. “The challenge
is that we are on a tight budget and unfortunately the money still doesn’t
reflect in our account as promised by Netball Africa. “Tests will be conducted
before competitions. We will do what is affordable as long as we use what is
required results but for now, we will test the teams that have to finish the
pending games then take it from there. Resuming the league will be a
challenge,” said Masango.