THE Wheelchair Basketball games in the country have been reduced to a mere pastime, and no financial rewards accompany the league.
If all the games are played to their logical conclusion, it will be a bonus because teams often fail to fulfil the fixtures.
This is due to several factors ranging from unavailability of transport crocked wheelchairs, which result from lack of sponsorship.
As the globe approaches the festive season and most sporting leagues being concluded, the Wolves Wheelchair Basketball Club is preparing for the year-end basketball tournament.
The tournament that will be held in partnership with BartMeph Foundation is scheduled for Number One Ground, Old Mabvuku, on December 3.
At least four teams are scheduled to participate. These are Wolves, Richwood, Danhiko and Golden Girls.
“We aim to celebrate the Disability Day in style as well as commemorating the death of Nyasha Abudu,” Wolves Wheelchair Basketball Club SG and head coach Job Kumunda told EnterSportNews.
“We can say this is the last tournament of the year because nothing will come again after this one. This year we have had two tournaments the Peter Muruko, which was held in August, and the Danhiko games in October.”
Abudu was a Wolves and national women’s wheelchair basketball team captain who passed away on December 4 last year after a short illness. She was 28 years old.
He added that they are anticipating that more people come to watch the games and help celebrate the day for people living with disabilities.
“It’s very important because we want to encourage people with disabled relatives in their midst not to hide them in houses but give them the space and platform to do what they are capable of doing. Disability is not inability. That is why we opted to use our ground in the location,” Kumunda said.
“We are having challenges in our sport because we don’t have sponsors, sponsorship or individuals to help us.
“That is the reason why we are playing a tournament like this. For this tournament, there are no winning prizes, and we are just playing with the hope and conviction that sponsors may notice us and address our plight as wheelchair basketball. We hope that when we start the season next year, we will have one or two sponsors on board who can chip in and help us.
