Nnauye decries TZ ‘no-show’ at Rio

Dar es Salaam. Information, Sports and Culture minister Nape Nauye has decried the country’s poor performance in athletics that has led to a near-no-show at the Rio Games in Brazil.

The minister becomes the latest voice to raise concerns over the direction Tanzania has taken as it continues to lose hope of ever making it in athletics at the international level.

In a speech read on his behalf by the ministry’s director of Sports Development Alex Nkenyenge at the launch of the Rock City Marathon recently, the minister appealed to sports stakeholders to put their heads together and help revitalise athletics in the country.

“These efforts will re-establish the glory days witnessed in the 1970s and 1980s when Tanzanian athletes competed with the best in the world and won top honours,” said Mr Nauye.

He urged the ministry to work closely with Athletics Tanzania and various concerned associations to improve the management of sports. Mr Nauy regretted that Tanzania has a population of over 40 million people, but failed to field athletes in the many fields at the 2016 Rio Olympic Games. He asked the private sector to do more to help the situation.