Government says it has mobilised funds has mobilised funds for the promotion of community sports throughout the country.

Under the development, Sports Advisory Committees in local authorities throughout the country are mandated to identify talent, monitor players and help to implement community sports in the country.

Ministry of Youth, Sports and Art, Southern Province Sports Coordinator Kasolo Chisenga says Sports Advisory Committees in every local authority will  use the funds to identify the talent and monitor players’ performance in rural areas.

Chisenga says key  areas for the Committees to focus on  are infrastructure development, capacity building, youth and grassroots engagement and promotion of the health and well-being of players.

Speaking during a stakeholders meeting held today in the council chambers the Sports Coordinator revealed that the community sports disciplines have now been devolved to local authorities in line with Articles 147 and 148 of the Laws of Zambia which provides for the system of devolved governance.

This entails that local authorities must register sports associations, sports academies and other sports institutions operating in the districts.

“Local authorities will now have a duty to create opportunities and an enabling environment for competitions through outstanding performers at ward and district level to be selected for competition at provincial, national and international levels.

“ Registration of sports associations, sports academies and other sports institutions will be a responsibility of councils at the district level, which will also include monitoring and mobilization of resources to finance sports activities and implementation of national sports policy,” he said.

And speaking earlier, Zimba Town Council Director of Finance Sandona Luzendi implored communities not to work in isolation but with councils to achieve and accelerate sports development in the district