Environmental Management Challenges and Institutional Readiness in Zimbabwean Tertiary Sports: A Mixed-Methods Investigation of Policy-Practice Alignment
Environmental sustainability in tertiary sports remains an emergent yet under-resourced domain, particularly in sub-Saharan Africa. This mixed-methods study examined institutional readiness for environmental management in Zimbabwean tertiary sports through quantitative stakeholder perceptions (n = 141) and qualitative document analysis of institutional policies across five tertiary institutions. Quantitative data were analyzed using descriptive statistics and one-way ANOVA (with ordinal validation via Kruskal-Wallis), revealing no statistically significant differences between stakeholder groups (athletes vs. fans; p > 0.05). Stakeholders consistently reported substantial institutional deficits: budget constraints (M = 4.21, SD = 0.86), absence of sport-specific environmental policies (M = 4.08, SD = 0.87), and limited technical expertise (M = 4.14, SD = 0.75). Current environmental practices scored low on implementation scales (M = 2.39 - 3.81), particularly for green facility design (M = 2.44) and renewable energy systems (M = 2.39). Document analysis revealed superficial sustainability references in institutional policies, with fragmented frameworks lacking sport-specific environmental guidance. The research identified a critical policy-practice gap: while tertiary institutions maintain overarching sustainability commitments, sport divisions operate without dedicated environmental management systems. Findings underscore the necessity of sport-specific regulatory frameworks, enhanced institutional capacity, and structured stakeholder engagement to align tertiary sports management with Sustainable Development Goals (SDG 12 & 13) and promote ecological responsibility in competitive excellence.
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