Zimbabwe’s netball team, the Gems, is facing a crisis as several players have quit the squad over grievances with the club’s management and treatment of their welfare. The Gems, who made history by reaching the eighth position in their debut World Cup in 2019, are now struggling to field a competitive team for the upcoming Premier Netball League (PNL) matches.
According to Merit Rumema, the spokesperson for Greenfuel Queens, the club that sponsors the Gems, the resignations were triggered by a disciplinary hearing that resulted in the dismissal of two senior players. Rumema said the club had valid reasons for letting go of the players but declined to disclose them, citing confidentiality. He said the club accepted the resignations of the other players who protested the decision and expressed dissatisfaction with the club.
The Gems are set to face Zimbabwe Defense Forces (ZDF) and Ngezi Platinum, two of the top teams in the PNL, this weekend. Rumema said he was confident that the remaining players would put up a good fight and that the club had received many applications from aspiring netballers who wanted to join the team. He said the club had also written to the PNL to request permission to bring in new players, as the transfer window had closed.
The Gems have been hailed as a success story for Zimbabwean sport, especially after their impressive performance at the World Cup in Liverpool, where they won three matches and charmed fans with their flair and charisma. However, they have faced many challenges, such as a lack of funding, equipment, and facilities. Some of the players had never played on a proper netball court before going to the World Cup and had to train on sand or concrete grounds.
The plight of the Gems has drawn attention to the broader issues affecting netball and other sports in Zimbabwe, where government support and corporate sponsorship are scarce. Kirsty Coventry, the minister of youth, sport, arts, and recreation and a former Olympic swimming champion, said her ministry had provided some support for the Gems to attend the World Cup but acknowledged that more needed to be done.
The Gems are not the only netball team that has faced problems with player welfare and administration. In February this year, Uganda’s She Cranes threatened to boycott their matches over unpaid allowances and bonuses. In June, Malawi’s Queens staged a sit-in at their hotel in South Africa over similar issues. These incidents have raised questions about how netball can be developed and sustained in Africa, where talent is abundant but resources are limited.
Source: New Zimbabwe
