A recent meeting of the Supreme Council for Sport in Africa confirmed hockey’s inclusion in the Games, but the dates have yet to be confirmed.

 Year of the Youth

 Africa has achieved tremendous support for the YotY programme, with 11 out of 15 members participating (some 75%) which is only one short of the target of 12. This is very reassuring and a welcome development. Gill Taylor, the AHF Co-ordinator, has been working hard at the project and, despite the considerable obstacles faced on the continent, is achieving good progress.

 There has been considerable support in Uganda for the YotY programme, with hundreds of children taking part in numerous events. Malawi has hosted a combined coaching and umpiring course, which was received good support. Zimbabwe has been very active with events taking place right across the country - from the sugar cane estates in the SE lowveld to the capital city Harare; from the mountain city of Mutare in the east, to Bulawayo in the west.

 South Africa has, likewise, seen tremendous enthusiasm, whilst the island state of Seychelles has just joined the programme. The West African members, Nigeria and Ghana, have been running programmes too.

 In August there will be a continental youth tournament in Harare, Zimbabwe. This was originally planned to be a Southern Africa regional event, but such has been the interest right across Africa that it has now been expanded to include all African members. The tournament will involve age groups U/14, U/16 and U/18, boys and girls. It promises to be a real festival of hockey with coaching clinics and umpiring courses.

 Egypt is hosting the Tutankhamen Tournament in July. This will be an international youth tournament for U/18’s which has already attracted considerable interest.

 Zimbabwe to celebrate

 The Hockey Association of Zimbabwe is about to celebrate a number of milestones. The first game of hockey was played in Bulawayo in 1900. However it was not possible to celebrate the centenary last year due to Parliamentary Elections being held. Instead, it will be this year.

 This year also marks the 40th anniversary of the relationship between HAZ/FIH. It was in 1961 that the then Rhodesia HA affiliated directly to the FIH, after previously being affiliated indirectly through the South African HA.

 The first official test match was played at Bulawayo in August 1961 between Rhodesia and Kenya. It is hoped that Kenya will visit Zimbabwe later this year to play a commemorative match.

 This year is also the 21st anniversary of Zimbabwe women's famous gold medal at the Moscow Olympics, 1980.

 Despite the various problems facing the country at present, the HAZ intends to commemorate and celebrate these various historic events during the year.