Milestone Basketball Academy has asked stakeholders, including the private sector and government, to provide financial and material support towards the development of minority sports in the country.

The academy’s director Frank Phiri was speaking to the media at ABC College in Lilongwe on Friday when he hosted a foundational basketball tournament for children involving two other basketball academies: Don Bosco and Next Gen.

Phiri said Malawi has a lot of talented youth that would excel in sports at international level if given the necessary support and training, especially at a tender age.

Meanwhile, Coach for Next Gen Academy Lisungu Banda has asked the government to speed up the opening of the Griffin Sayenda Indoor Sports Complex in Lilongwe to help improve athletics in the country.

“We have this public facility that remains unopened yet we are paying a lot of money here at this private facility,” she lamented.

She also called for investors to help in the provision of training facilities and skills development for basketball coaches if the country is to excel in the game, saying involving the youth sports is crucial for minimizing their indulgence in negative things like social media addiction.

According to Phiri, Milestone Basketball Academy is an open institution aimed at developing the game among children and the youth as well help them develop socially, spiritually, mentally and academically.