Continue training, NOC tells athletes

By MICHAEL MIYOBA
THE National Olympic Committee of Zambia (NOCZ) has urged Olympics-bound athletes to continue training and remain focused.
Athlete Sydney Siame, boxers Patrick Chinyemba, Everisto Mulenga, Steven Zimba and the national football women’s team qualified for the Olympic Games which were scheduled to run from July 24 to August 8 this year but were pushed to next year due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
In an interview, NOCZ president Alfred Foloko said there is need for athletes to continue doing their training and workouts from the comfort of their homes to remain fit for the games.
Foloko urged athletes to stay safe and maintain healthy environments to help fight the Covid-19 pandemic which has halted sporting events all over the world.
He also urged athletes to continue complying with Government directives to stop the spread of the virus.
“I encourage the athletes not to lose focus and continue doing their training from the comfort of their homes.
“Even as we record no new cases in Zambia, the battle to eradicate the virus continue. Therefore, I wish them good health and resilience during the period of the pandemic and urge them all to continue complying with Government directives to stop the spread of the virus,” Foloko said.
The postponed Tokyo Olympics which will be held from July 23 to August 8 next year with the athletes already qualified for the Tokyo 2020 Olympics needing to be picked again by their respective National Olympic Committees to compete at the postponed Games next year.
The International Olympic Committee said last week that athletes would keep their qualification but would need to be re-selected for next year by their National Olympic Committee again as they represented a nation and not themselves.