AfricaPress-Tanzania: The Tanzania Football Federation (TFF) has noted that poor infrastructures in the country’s sports arenas contribute to short lifespan of players as they frequently pick injuries.
This was said by the federation’s president Wallace Karia recently in Dar es Salaam who insisted that a player who has the energy to play for at least 15 years can play for only seven years as he or she is exposed to unfriendly venues.
“Time has now come for us to protect health of players and the best way to achieve that is by ensuring that we have good playing arenas across the country so as to enable our players to have a long lifespan. “This time around, we also want to go extra mile by making sure that we train stadium managers and supervisors on the best means to make, protect and maintain venues,” Karia said.
He therefore challenged those people who are in charge of running football activities to be academically skillful for them to manage well their responsibilities.
“For us, we are a bit lucky because we have a team which is knowledgeable and football management and we frequently learn new things via social media platforms to be abreast with the demands of the current world,” he said.
The president has since encouraged clubs to sign contract with venue owners for the purpose of upgrading playing venues and make them friendly including renovation of dressing rooms.
He disclosed that even many clubs in Europe do not have their own playing arenas but what they do is to enter into partnership with Municipal Councils for the sake of using the available arenas.
“The ongoing campaign to suspend substandard venues will continue and this season, we are a bit lenient because of the Covid-19 outbreak and the general elections which are coming up but next season, we will be more serious with the issue of upgrading football infrastructures,” he said.
In the same token, TFF Vice-President Athumani Nyamlani reminded Media Officers of clubs to do their works professionally and avoid politicising football.
“Previously, Club Media Officers were people who keenly followed all the procedures required in the industry but now, it is sad to learn that when one is able to speak at a political podium, he or she becomes Spokesperson of clubs something which need to change,” he said.
