PICTURES|| Arsene Wenger, FIFA Honour UK-based Zim Sports Journalist Chichi Sabeta

In a refreshing development for local media, United Kingdom-based Zimbabwean sports journalist Chipo “Chichi” Sabeta was on Thursday night honoured by legendary football manager Arsene Wenger and the international football governing body FIFA.

Sabeta emerged as the overall winner of the FIFA/CIES Sports management project, iHarare reported.

The Zimbabwean journalist received the accolade from Wenger, FIFA’s chief of global development, at the organisation’s headquarters in Zurich, Switzerland.

Sabeta won the award for her eSport project which she did for her programme at the Nelson Mandela University in South Africa.

Her project focused on the critical factors needed for the successful implementation of an eSports League System in Africa.

The Zimbabwean journalist participated together with Damilola Bello from Nigeria, Gareth Corjee from South Africa, Casper Jangale from Malawi and Daryll Roeffe from South Africa.

An elated Sabeta shared her honour on social media, writing,

“I am humbled & honoured to announce that I emerged as the overall winner of the FIFA/CIES Sports management project.

“Legendary coach Arsene Wenger who is the current FIFA’s chief of global development, handed me the certificate at FIFA headquarters in Zurich, Switzerland yesterday.(Thursday).

“This is just an amazing moment and one of the most important scenes of my professional career.

“A big thank you to my superiors at Nelson Mandela University in South Africa who mentored me & my colleagues who had my back through the turbulent journey, which needed a lot of dedication, passion and perseverance.

“Winning it as the best overall project at NMU was enough, but I never anticipated that it was going to be the best project INTERNATIONALLY (ie from 12 FIFA/CIES universities across the world).

“I really value & respect this honour from this glorious institution.

I will definitely push myself to be a better version of my work, and above all, I thank the Almighty for he is one who has the master keys to open any doors in life.” Tim E Ndoro/iHarare.

Zwnews