• VICE-PRESIDENT Guy Scott (centre) poses with Zambian athletes and other officials at the Commonwealth Games Village in Glasgow, Scotland on Monday. Picture by ELIAS CHIPEPO

From ELIAS CHIPEPO
In Glasgow, Scotland-
REPUBLICAN Vice-President, Guy Scott has challenged Zambian athletes here to take back home smiles and not apologies from the Glasgow 2014 Commonwealth Games outing.
When he visited the athletes at the Games Village on Monday night, Scott prodded them to ensure they went back to Zambia with some medals and also urged them not to give up half way but fight till the end.
A jovial Scott, who promised the athletes a luncheon when they return, told them to come back with big smiles and not apologies.
“Try to get us even just one ka medal, something to show that you were here. I have confidence in you the boxers, judokas and everyone who is here. I will host you for a luncheon but I want you to come back with big smiles and not coming with apologies,” he said.
In a vote-of-thanks, badminton player Ngosa Chongo assured the Vice-President that the athletes will put in their best and show why they deserve to be at the Games.
The Vice-President also said Zambia needs to start emulating standards set by other countries by hosting tournaments like the Commonwealth Games.
Scott said Zambia needs to host the Commonwealth Games and equally field a bigger contingent of athletes to participate in the event.
He said countries such as Scotland with a small population as compared to Zambia had managed to host big tournaments like the Commonwealth Games.
Scott said Government can only do its part but the actual work will depend on the determination by the athletes.
“We need to start slowly moving up the rankings by aiming to host such tournaments. Zambia has a big population and needs to start emulating standards set by countries like Scotland, with a smaller population, but managed to host such a competition,” he said.
Scott was escorted to the Games Village by Sports Permanent Secretary Agnes Musunga, director of sports Bessy Chelemu, Sports council of Zambia (SCZ) vice chairperson Emmanuel Katebe, National Olympic Committee (NOC) president Miriam Moyo and secretary general  Hazel Kennedy.
Others were International Olympic Committee (IOC) board member Patrick Chamunda, First Secretary for Press at the Zambian Mission in the United Kingdom, Amos Chanda and some senior Government officials.