ZIMBABWE Kickboxing Association (Zika) star Brighton Tangata has been left a heartbroken man after the country’s five-member team failed to travel for the Turkey World Championships on the eleventh hour due to financial constraints. KENNETH NYANGANI STAFF REPORTER
The team had been scheduled to fly out of the country on Friday ahead of the games that were expected to begin today (Sunday) until December 9.
Some of the members who were expected to fly the country flag high were Nicholas Kurima, Terrence Munemo, Isaac Marara and Tafadzwa Muropa.
The veteran Tangata, yet to lose a match at the local front since 2007 when he won a bronze medal at the All-Africa Games in Algeria, said he was left a disappointed man after Team Zimbabwe failed to make it for the World Championships.
“Yes, we are no longer travelling to Turkey as scheduled because of financial constraints. All this happened at the eleventh hour. l am heartbroken with all the developments considering how l prepared for this tournament,” he added.
“Everyone is disappointed, but we cannot blame ourselves because we do not have funding. Missing the event is like the Warriors missing the World Cup. Some of us did justice by qualifying for the tournament and we were hoping to raise the country’s flag high. But anyway we will continue to train,” he added.
Zika president Tony Kamangira said he was at a loss of words adding that they had been left in the cold after some companies gave them false promises.
“We wrote to more than 100 companies three to four months back when our preparations were in full swing. Some of them even promised us that they would come on board to sponsor with money for air tickets to Turkey, but they never come up,” Kamangira said.
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“Until this week some of them were even promising, but to no avail. So we are not travelling as scheduled. What is saddening is that we have been competitive bringing medals from various tournaments around the world and it seems no one is noticing this,” he added.
