By Ronald Meki
President for the Wushu Association of Malawi, Haxson Chapasa has said inadequate funding to help the association is the reason the association is failing to organize activities for the sport’s athletes and lovers alike.
In an interview with Malawi News Agency (Mana) on Tuesday, he said the Association struggles on their own to raise funds towards organizing national activities and putting the sport on the world map.
“’The Association was failing to organize tournaments which are supposed to happen annually just like any other sport in the country. Our yearly proposals are not at all recognized.
“The last and only tournament we had was in 2012 which was sponsored by the Chinese Embassy and there has been nothing at national level after that,” he said.
Chapasa disclosed that the Association has been mobilizing resources on its own, indicating that the funds have always been insufficient to cater for the annual budget pegged at K12 million.
He thanked the Malawi National Council of Sports (MNCS) for recognizing the sport and pleaded for further assistance in funds to help promote the sport in the country and beyond.
“The Association appreciates the contribution by Government by recognizing and assisting the Chinese Sport, but we are pleading for funds which can help the sport to be promoted and recognized,” he said.
Executive Secretary for MNCS, Henry Mereka said the Council treats all sporting disciplines equally and that it recognizes all kinds of sports as equal.
“We do respect all kinds of sports without categorizing them like others do; however, some of these sports are other nationality cultures,” he said.
Wushu is a Chinese Sport which has been played for more than nine years in Malawi is being practiced in all the regions of the country.
