Cuban coaches land two-year contracts

Four Cuban coaches who arrived in Dar es Salaam last week have landed two-year contracts each.

The acting secretary general of National Sports Council, NSC, Juliana Yassoda, said the coaches, who are versed in athletics, boxing and judo, might renew their contracts depending on prevailing circumstances.

Yassoda named the coaches as Adres Edwardo Baro and Jorge Luis Bravo Rojas (athletics), Geovanis Hurtado Pimentel  (boxing) and Jose Valdes Silver who would coach judo and undertake sports planning activities.

The NSC official said the respective sporting bodies should accord cooperation to the coaches and make full use of them in training local coaches out of their skills.

The coaches’ offices have been located within the Uhuru Stadium in Dar es Salaam. However, NSC official declined to provide details of the value of the contracts but it is evident they will be in the government’s payroll.

Speaking on behalf of his compatriots, Baro, who is in the country for the second time after working with the ministry of sports and culture in the early 80’s, promised to work hard.

He said their intention is to bring Tanzania in the world map of sports should they get sufficient cooperation with their respective sports bodies they are to work for.

In a related development, the NSC has appointed Henry Lihaya as the new secretary general.

Lihaya has replaced Leonard Thadeo who is now the director of sports in the Ministry of Information, Culture and Sports.