Top boxing administrators calls for impartiality
Zimbabwe’s top boxing administrator Lawrence Zimbudzana has implored sports journalists not to take sides between any warring parties as the public depended on them for a balanced point of view.
Zimbudzana, who is the general secretary of the Zimbabwe National Boxing and Wrestling Board of Control, was speaking at the Zimbabwe Sports Media Awards held at the Harare Sports Club VIP Lounge.
“When a news story is biased towards one side it is the reader, listener or viewer who is prejudiced. The job of a journalist to ensure both sides of the story are given space and let the public judge for itself ” Zimbudzana stressed.
The senior boxing official was guest of honour at the second ZSMA edition, succeeding Sebastian Garikai, the Acting Director-General of the Sport & Recreation Commission (SRC) who graced the ceremony last year.
Six sports journalists and broadcasters walked away with cash & goods after coming tops in six different categories under adjudication.
Blessing Malinganiza of H-Metro, runner-up in the Sports Writer of the Year category the previous year, won the 2021 main award while stablemate Veronica Gwaze of The Sunday Mail was named Female Sports Writer of the Year.
Classic 263FM’s Ronald “D-train” Chiwanza clinched the Football Commentator of the Year gong, similar to that awarded to Thandazani Zimbga (boxing).
Other writers to grace the podium were Tinashe Kusema (Rugby), golf writer Takudzwa Chitsiga, The Herald, and Fungai Muderere of B-Metro who travelled from Bulawayo to grab the Cricket Writer of the Year accolade.
Anashe Murbedzi of ZTV retained the Female Sportscaster award.
ZSMA, which is organized by the Sportswriters Association of Zimbabwe (SWAZ), retained its major sponsors Tanganda Tea Company and Zimbabwe Cricket while new partners included Mawere Plaza, Zimbabwe Golf Association, Glow Petroleum and Jacaranda Culture & Media Centre (JCMC).
