Malawi stands to benefit from the recent Commonwealth Games Federation (CGF) African Regional Meetings which took place in Zambia, Livingstone from April 13-14, 2023 ahead of the Commonwealth Youth games set for August in Trinidad and Tobago and the 2026 Commonwealth Games in Victoria, Australia.
Secretary General of Commonwealth Games in Malawi, Captain John Kaputa (retired) attended the meetings along the President Hon. Jappie Mhango and the Director, Naomie Chinatu who are Commonwealth Games delegates from Malawi.
In an interview with Malawi News Agency on Thursday, Kaputa said the discussions were very educative and useful for member countries within the region for preparation of the games as they covered moderation of game villages as well as updates from the federation.
“The Commonwealth Youth games was one of the agendas that were presented, we were briefed that submission on athlete’s sports entries by number and name will start on April 28.
“The 2026 Commonwealth Games will have five different game villages which will accommodate athletes and there will be 20 sport codes including three new sport codes and nine Para Olympic Games, “he added.
Kaputa outlined areas of discussion such as the general assembly of the CGF which would take place in November 2023 where each member country will send a representative to the elections which seek to select a new federation.
According to information from the Commonwealth Website, CGF President, Dame Louise Martin hailed the enthusiasm and energy showcased by the attendants at the workshop.
Martin singled the importance of wide discussions for both regional topics and the broader approach for Commonwealth games in light of upcoming tournaments scheduled for Trinidad and Tobago as well as Victoria in 2023 and 2026 respectively.
The meetings which hosted senior members of the CGF’S management team and representatives of 19 Commonwealth Games Associations across Africa were hugely important for the CGF both to share the vision for the future and to gain further understanding of how they can support colleagues in their development plans.
The workshop highlighted the forthcoming Strategic Plan which will be launched later in the year, and offered updates on development as well as reviews on regional plans as delegates shared best practices among themselves.
Ahead of the Youth Games, Malawian Athletes are in camp with some runners scheduled to go to Ndola, Zambia on April 27, to participate in a competition to attain some experience.
