Sports Ministry to emulate Geo Pomona

Nyashadzashe Ndoro

Zimbabwe’s Ministry of Youth, Sport, Arts and Recreation is looking to follow the lead of the Geo Pomona Waste Management facilities in Harare, by adopting artificial turf for the nation’s stadiums.

Sports Minister Kirsty Coventry said this on Monday afternoon during a tour of the Geo Pomona Waste Management sports facilities, which comprise two basketball courts, twin tennis courts, and a football pitch. The project recently got Fifa certification.

“As a country, all other soccer facilities focused on grass. But what we have here (at Geo Pomona) is showing that it (artificial turf) is a better quality to go with, potentially easier to maintain if you have got the right equipment, which Geo Pomona has said they do.

“Fifa won’t accredit unless the equipment is there to maintain. They have got good water. So that’s all that we have been looking at with other facilities because the grass is sometimes a little bit harder if you don’t have good and adequate water, maintenance, and the right lawnmowers; it can be very difficult.

“I know at our National Sports Stadium we have had to try and replace the grass over years and now you end up with several different types of grass and that’s not the best facility.

“So, we have also been looking at bringing in, as part of the revamping of the National Sports Stadium, an astro-turf for the main stadium, keeping the grass in the B arena for now.

“So we are working towards that. I just asked for the contacts who brought in their (Geo Pomona) astro-turf so that we can measure up against the companies that have already brought it to us and we will go from there.

“But I think if there is the right management in place as well as all the other components and the right equipment, then an astro-turf is the way to go and that is what we will be advocating for as a Ministry for the National Sports Stadium,” said Coventry.

Geo Pomona Waste Management chief executive officer, Dilesh Nguwaya said they are looking to construct terraces, and changing rooms, and add a restaurant at the facility.

“The important thing is that our national team will come and train here when they play against other teams that use this kind of turf. The other facilities to be added here include a restaurant, stands, and changing room,” said Nguwaya.

He also highlighted that a water pump had since been purchased for the main project involving turning waste into energy.