By GWEN CHIPASULA –

SWEDISH Sports Minister Gabriel Wikestrom has expressed happiness with the way the management is running the Olympic Youth Development Centre (OYDC) in Lusaka.
Wikestrom said he was happy that the centre was accommodating the less privileged adding that the case was different in Europe where such modern facilities are for the high class and people needed to pay.
He said this on Tuesday afternoon after touring the athletics track and field, basketball and netball courts, boxing and judo halls including the 90 Days Legacy Swimming Pool at the OYDC.
“This is a very good facility, the work which is done here is so inspiring especially that you have kids from the community using the facilities without paying. It is such a warming feeling to see that sports is taken very serious here in Zambia because apart from being fun, sports is very important for one’s health too, “he said.
Wikestrom, who with his entourage visited Zambia to explore the field of cancer care and what measures could be taken to improve the prevention of the disease, said he was happy that sport was also being used to improve public health.
Meanwhile, OYDC director Clement Chileshe said he was happy that the Swedish delegation visited the centre.
Chileshe appealed Wikestrom to consider the centre in areas of funding as OYDC is on course towards producing gold medallists through the various talent identification programmes it had embarked on.