MBABANE – No subscription, no representing the country!
The Eswatini Sport and Recreation Council (ESRC) is alleged to have urged national associations to enforce subscriptions for their members beyond clubs. Sources close to the matter say it will no longer be only clubs expected to pay annual subscription fees, but everybody involved in the sport, including athletes.
As if to confirm the reports, the Eswatini Boxing Association (EBA) has moved quickly to enforce the subscriptions. Not only will clubs pay an annual fee of E500, but boxers, coaches, referees and officials will now also be required to pay.
During Sunday’s annual general meeting (AGM), it was adopted that, for a start, cadet, junior and elite boxers will pay the same subscription fee of E30. Meanwhile, the annual subscription fee for coaches, referees and judges was set at E100.
The assembly accepted the need for these subscriptions to help with the administration of the association but expressed varied views on the level of the fees. They said the fees must be reasonable and affordable to boxers so that some do not stop playing because they cannot afford them.
On the other hand, Netball Eswatini (NESWA) Secretary General (SG) Nkabinde Shabalala said he recalls the communication, although the association is yet to implement it fully. Shabalala cited the establishment of the players’ association, which will definitely see netballers subscribe once it is finalised.
Under the amended constitution, coaches and umpires, among others, will also have their independent association, which will in turn affiliate to the national mother body, NESWA.
On a different note, individual subscriptions at the Eswatini Chess Federation (ECF) have been in place for a long time, and there has now been a shift towards club subscriptions. Since this is an individual sport, players pay E80 and no player will form part of the national team if they are not subscribed.
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