Government promises to build Olympic standard swimming pool

Dar es Salaam. The government has said they are planning to build an Olympic Standard swimming pool to be used by local swimmers in their preparations for international competitions.

The respond has come few days after one of the swimming club in the city, Dar Swim Club, appealed to the government to build a community Olympic standard swimming pool that will enable local swimmers to practice the game which is regarded as for well-off people only.

Speaking to The Citizen on Sunday, National Sports Council (NSC) secretary general Henry Lihaya admitted that Tanzania had no public international standard swimming pool to be used for Olympic Games, Commonwealth Games or World Swimming championship.

Lihaya said the government was planning to construct the facility in the phase two of the National Stadium construction, which includes the National Indoor Stadium. He said the project was yet to be started due to lack of funds.

“What I can say is that the government is aware of the challenges facing the game. We’re still looking for funds so as to implement our plans. The swimming pool will be part of the National Stadium complex,” said Lihaya.

Lihaya also urged swimming stakeholders to invest in the game as the government cannot solve all problems facing sporting activities in the country.

“It is true that football, netball and other sports have facilities for training. As for swimming, we depend on the University of Dar es Salaam’s swimming pool, but it does not meet the Olympic standards as it 33-metres in length only, while Olympic Standards comprises 50 metres in length and 25 metres in width,” said Lihaya. He said that there are so many sports in the country that are facing problems and a lot of investment is needed to push them to international standards.

Earlier Dar Swim Club secretary general Inviolata Itatiro said that most sports in the country had training facilities and hence allowed the coaches to scout talented athletes, but this was not the case for swimming. Inviolata said the game was regarded as for rich people only due to the fact that most of swimming pools were private and so not accessible to the most ordinary people.

She said that they often trained at the facility that belongs to the International School of Tanganyika and cost of hiring for both training and competition is very high.

She said community pool will allow swimming coaches in the city to train ordinary athletes who cannot afford to pay high cost of training.