The Sports and Recreation Commission (SRC) has suspended Onismo Nhondova, president of Zimbabwe Aquatics, and Zanele Nkomazana, chairlady of Zimbabwe Swimming, key officials of Zimbabwe Aquatics, from all aquatic sports administration roles for five years, effective immediately.
The decision, made on March 20, 2026, cites several governance concerns, including parallel structures in swimming administration, dual communication channels causing disputes, and multiple stakeholder complaints.
The SRC acted under Section 30 of the Sports and Recreation Commission Act, aiming to restore stability in Zimbabwe’s aquatic sports following representations from the officials and perceived leadership deficiencies.
The move follows a directive from the Zimbabwe Aquatics Executive Committee seeking order within the sport’s governance.
Fanzone spoke to aquatics parents, some of whom have been involved .
“As a parent who has been involved in aquatics for many years, I honestly don’t believe that suspensions on their own will fix the long-standing governance issues in Zimbabwe Aquatics,” said the parent.
“We were in this same situation in 2022, and the deeper structural problems are still there. Until governance across all aquatic disciplines is handled in a transparent and consistent way, the sport will keep finding itself back in the same difficulties.
“There is also uncertainty around leadership, including how certain individuals have returned to positions without clear, formal elections. This creates confusion for our kids, the athletes, coaches, and us parents – we simply want clarity and stability.
“Our concern is not about internal disputes or who sits where , it is about the athletes and the long-term future of the sport. All we want as parents is a system that is fair, accountable, and free from irregularities.
“Something doesn’t feel right, and the sport deserves a stable, lawful, and transparent environment so that young athletes can grow without disruptions and thrive doing a sport they love.
“I trust that the appropriate authorities will take the necessary steps to ensure proper processes are followed and that aquatics is guided back onto a credible and sustainable path,” added another,” said another concerned parent.
Meanwhile, it is alleged that Zanele Nkomazana, chairlady of Zimbabwe Swimming, is set to appeal to the Ministry over the decision made by SRC, on the basis that Zimbabwe Aquatics authored the parallel structure by sponsoring an ‘interim committee’ on the false pretext that Zimbabwe Swimming was non-quorate.
