Swazi Observer

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E300 000 BOOST FOR BIBLE SOCIETY CUP

By Sibusiso Masilela | 2019-05-16

SOCCER – THE 2019 Bible Society Cup participants will not go empty handed as the sponsor has pumped in E300 000 towards the expenses of the four teams to take part in the third annual soccer tournament slated for June 15 at the Mavuso Sports Centre.

Each team will receive E75 000 (E50 000 participation fee), (E15 000 for accommodation) and (E10 000 for kits and uniforms).

confirmed

Swaziland Bible Society Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Ngcebo Mbuli confirmed the financial injection to the teams when sought for comment yesterday.

“The teams will use this money to prepare for the tournament,” he said. This year’s edition has seen the increase of the participating teams to four compared to the usual two following the addition of Mbabane Highlanders and Moneni Pirates, who have joined the two pioneers in Manzini Wanderers and Manzini Sundowns.

Bible Society Cup to change image of local football

SOCCER – MINISTER of Sports Culture and Youth Affairs Harries ‘Madze’Bulunga believes the Bible Society Cup will change the image of local football.

Bulunga said the tournament would be key in changing some of the myths between the church and sport.

He said this during the launch of the third edition of the tournament at the Royal Swazi Sun.

“I take this moment, first and foremost, to thank the Bible Society for having extended this partnership with football for yet another year.

It is indeed humbling to see an esteemed organisation such as the Bible Society joining hands with sport.

I hope such launches will be a norm for many.

“I think I should state that the Bible Society’s involvement in sport, particularly football, is vital in addressing one of the biggest myths regarding the church and sport.

Many forms of sport, particularly football, have been portrayed as ‘ungodly’ and for a long time, many believers have been afraid to follow their various sporting passions.

passions

To have the Bible Society take the lead by taking the Bible into the soccer field destroys that stereotype and now Christians are able to enjoy their various sporting passions, which even go beyond football,” he said.

Bulunga says the tournament also helps to promote integrity and morals in football.

“In sport, we talk about many values, including integrity, hard work and accountability, all which are promoted by the Bible.

Moreover, partaking in sport comes with a lot of positives including health and even financial benefits,”

“Therefore, before we can talk about success in the field or track, we need to develop human beings of good moral standards first. The Bible helps us create that foundation because an athlete who has been taught from a tender age the importance of differentiating between right and wrong, will be able to refrain from doping and age-cheating, for example.”

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