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Ricky Zililo, Senior Sports Reporter
THE year 2016 has been an eventful year in the sporting fraternity. Chronicle Sport takes a look at some of the major 2016 highlights.
THE year started with self-styled Bulawayo-based Prophet Blessing Chiza predicting good times for cricket, but Afghanistan beat Zimbabwe in a five One-Day International series, which the Asians celebrated with gunfire.
Former South African pace bowler Makhaya Ntini joined the Chevrons’ backroom staff as assistant coach to Dav Whatmore, specialising in bowling. The former Proteas seamer was excited with the appointment saying coaching Zimbabwe is a “dream fulfilled”.
Zimbabwe’s swimming sensation Kirsty Coventry got international recognition with the seven-time Olympic Games medallist going into a partnership with an American health technology company LifeFuels to promote its nutritional products.
Zifa and Warriors coach Callisto Pasuwa are embroiled in a contract impasse, which sucks in the Sports and Recreation Commission (SRC) as mediators. Relations between Zifa and Pasuwa strained following a December 2015 decision to fire the coach. After a public backlash, Zifa president Phillip Chiyangwa reversed the decision to fire the gaffer which was announced by his deputy Omega Sibanda while Chiyangwa was on holiday.
Pasuwa leads the locally-based Warriors to the Chan tournament in Rwanda. The Warriors return without a win, going down by identical 1-0 scorelines to Zambia and Mali, and drawing with Uganda.
Highlanders hire unknown Dutch coach Erol Akbay with their fierce rivals Dynamos settling for an equally obscure Portuguese gaffer Paulo Jorge Silva.
February
National cricket team pace bowler Brian Vitori is suspended for illegal bowling, having been reported in January after the Chevrons’ tour of Bangladesh.
The Sports and Recreation Commission (SRC) directs all national sports associations to decentralise their structures to ward level in a move aimed at improving the country’s performance in the different sporting disciplines. All national associations to have complied by June 30, 2016.
Zifa reveals their intentions to order forensic audit of the PSL to establish the financial status of the country’s topflight league after the ouster of its boss Twine Phiri, who had been in charge of the elite league for six years.
Zifa announced that they’ve signed a mega deal worth over $100 million with Total Sports Marketing. The deal will see Zimbabwe playing host to a Robert Mugabe International Tournament in June. Minister of Sports and Recreation Makhosini Hlongwane defended the Afro-Asia tournament.
Zifa Bulawayo Metropolitan Province chairman Washington Chimanda collapsed and died at a city banking hall.
Castle Lager PSL champions Chicken Inn ended South African champions Mamelodi Sundowns’ 19-match unbeaten run in all competitions, edging them 1-0 at Barbourfields Stadium in the first leg of the Caf Champions League preliminary round. Mitchelle Katsvairo scored the solitary goal. Chicken Inn went on to lose the second leg of the preliminary round in Pretoria 2-0.
Warriors’ benefactor Wicknell Chivayo donates a car to Mighty Warriors coach Shadreck Mlauzi, while NetOne unveiled a $50 000 sponsorship package for Tennis Zimbabwe, with Old Mutual launching a rugby development programme that would help spread the sport across the country.
March
Highlanders chairman Peter Dube resoundingly beats his Dynamos counterpart Kenny Mubaiwa 11-4 in the PSL chairmanship race. Dube replaced Twine Phiri, who was elbowed out at the beginning of the year by Zifa.
A number of South African clubs expressed interest in Chicken Inn players they had seen playing against Mamelodi Sundowns. Strikers Mitchelle Katsvairo and Edmore Chirambadare, midfielders Danny Phiri and Raphael Kutinyu were reported to be on most teams’ wanted lists. Katsvairo and Chirambadare later joined Kaizer Chiefs with Phiri moving to Golden Arrows while Kutinyu is still hopeful of a break.
Zifa executive member Edzai Kasinauyo became the first casualty of the new Zifa board after he was suspended on allegations of match-fixing as the ghost of Asiagate returned to haunt the association. The former national team midfielder, who was voted into the Zifa board on December 5, 2015, is alleged to be part of a syndicate that was planning to fix the Warriors’ two-legged 2017 Africa Cup of Nations qualifier against Swaziland.
His suspension came weeks after Zifa had lifted all bans imposed on individuals implicated in the first high profile match-fixing scandal to rock the domestic game seven years ago. The latest scandal sucked in ex-Zifa CEO Henrietta Rushwaya and national team assistant coach Nation Dube.
The Warriors draw 1-1 against Swaziland away before hammering their opponents 4-0 at the National Sports Stadium a few days later. The presence of Nyasha Mushekwi’s ex-wife Luminista in the first leg caused problems, with the striker reportedly refusing to play. Luminista had allegedly travelled as part of Zifa management.
The Zimbabwe Davis Cup team lost their Euro/Africa Group II tie against Finland. The Zimbabwe pair of Mark Fynn (31) and 19-year-old Courtney Lock were beaten 1-6, 0-6 and 1-6 in a must-win clash against the hosts’ pairing of Henri Kontinen and Jarkko Nieminen. The win gave Finland an unassailable 3-0 heading into reverse singles.
Bulawayo’s senior women and boys’ Under-18 teams won gold at the 2016 edition of the Basketball Union of Zimbabwe’s (BUZ) inter-provincial championships held in Masvingo. Harare won the senior men and girls’ Under-18 titles. Bulawayo, Harare, Midlands, Mashonaland East, Manicaland, Mashonaland West and the hosts Masvingo took part at the national basketball finals.
The Zimbabwe Under-21 women’s national team put up a remarkable show in Namibia at the Junior Africa Hockey Cup to book their place at the November Junior World Cup held in Chile. Zimbabwe lost to South Africa in the final of the Junior Africa Hockey Cup, but still qualified for the global showpiece.
April
World Boxing Council international welterweight champion Charles Manyuchi penned a new five-year contract with his Zambian promoters Oriental Quarries Boxing Promotions (OQBP), who had already set up a fight against Russian Dmitry Mikhaylenko. Manyuchi had not been in the ring since July 2015 when he defended his title against Friuli-Venezia Giulia of Italy.
Suspended Zifa technical director Takaendesa Jongwe made shocking claims that Zifa’s top two men were planning to manipulate the outcome of the two-legged African Cup of Nations qualifiers between Zimbabwe and Swaziland. Jongwe was one of the whistleblowers in the match-fixing scandal that surfaced in the run-up to the first tie in Mbabane. According to sources, Jongwe on the advice of another Zifa employee, reported to the state’s security agents that Zifa president Philip Chiyangwa and his deputy Omega Sibanda were planning to fix the outcome of the match in favour of Swaziland.
Chicken Inn beat Highlanders 2-1 to lift the Independence Cup.
Zifa CEO Jonathan Mashingaidze’s contract is not renewed.
South African golfer Lyle Rowe wins the Golden Pilsner sponsored Zimbabwe Open.
The World Rugby Under-20 Trophy, the ultimate prize for the global rugby tournament, is confiscated by Zimra officials upon arrival at the Harare International Airport. Indications were that the trophy had been confiscated as the Ministry of Sport and Recreation had not written to the respective departments (Ministry of Finance/Zimra) with regards to the arrival and special clearance of the trophy. Fiji, Hong Kong, Namibia, Samoa, Spain, the United States and Uruguay took part in the second tier youth rugby competition staged in Africa for the second time. The first African country to host this event was Kenya in 2009.
May
Ndumiso Dlodlo and Shantel Batch Greenland crowned Mr and Ms Zitf
Wicknell Chivayo gives Zimbabwean stars Knowledge Musona and Costa Nhamoinesu a treat in Paris. The players were taken on a shopping excursion by Chivayo in an exclusive shopping district of the French capital. Chivayo claimed he spent $10 000 on each of the two players.
Former football giants Zimbabwe Saints were expelled from the Zifa Bulawayo Province Division Two League for failing to affiliate and fulfil three consecutive matches. Chikwata, as Saints are popularly known, were ejected from the league together with Zimplow. Saints’ expulsion from the
Second Division came after the Zifa Southern Region booted out Trumus and Quelaton from the Division One League. Chikwata had been angling to take over one of the two clubs’ franchises, but they failed to raise enough money to secure the slots and affiliate.
Chicken Inn’s championship winning coach Joey Antipas moves to South African Durban side AmaZulu. Rahman Gumbo replaces Antipas. Cricket powerhouse India agree to a tour Zimbabwe for three One Day Internationals (ODIs) and three Twenty20 matches in June.
Heath Streak quits as Bangladesh bowling coach after two years in the job.
Zimbabwean boxing champion Charles Manyuchi won the vacant WBC silver belt at DIVS Arena, Yekaterinburg, Russia after beating Dimitry Mikhaylenko.
Boxing great John “Bonyongo the Destroyer” Mutema dies at the age of 61 after suffering a stroke at his Dulibadzimu home in Beitbridge.
June
Zifa dissolved and replaced by the National Football Association of Zimbabwe (NAFAZ) at an extraordinary general meeting held in Harare with 54 of the 58 councillors voting for the association to dissolve itself. Nafaz president Philip Chiyangwa is said to have informed Zifa councillors that he could not continue with the old association that is laden with debts saying he had come in to advance football and not deal with debts.
Sports and Recreation Minister Makhosini Hlongwane said the June 4 dissolution of Zifa and subsequent formation of its successor, Nafaz by the Philip Chiyangwa-led board was illegal. Hlongwane told journalists in Bulawayo that the dissolution of the football motherbody was not done in accordance with the laws of the country and as such, Zifa was still operational and the newly-established Nafaz non-existent.
Former Amazulu defender David Mkandawire made headlines for being a destitute in South Africa.
Warriors qualify for the 2017 Afcon, after 10 years in the wilderness
Former Highlanders rugby player Lameck Kasuka dies at the age of 49 after spending 26 years confined to a wheelchair at the United Bulawayo Hospitals following a horrific spinal cord injury suffered at training in 1990.
Bosso finally beat Dembare after nine years, winning 2-0 at Rufaro Stadium. Prince Dube and Bruce Kangwa grabbed the goals.
Dynamos fans perish en route to a league match against Chapungu at Ascot Stadium in Gweru.
July
The month of July began with the Highlanders mid year review meeting in which members unanimously agreed to a new order that saw, among other changes, membership fees dropping to $5, while the board of directors’ establishment will cease to exist on December 31, 2017, as part of the club’s transformation process from being a wholly owned community club into a business model.
Members also agreed not to float shares to prevent the 90-year-old club from being hijacked by cash moguls.
Highlanders lifted the ZNA Commander’s Charities match by beating Harare City 4-2 (after penalty shootouts) during the final played at Barbourfields Stadium.
The National Association of Primary School Heads (Naph) Bulawayo province held their ball games competitions at Northlea High School where a provincial team was selected.
THE 2016 edition of the National Association of Secondary School Heads (Nash) Copa Cocacola Under-16 boys and Under-17 girls’ football tournament was held across the country.
Bulawayo City Council raises red flag over alleged continued and strategic transfer of African Union Sports Council Region Five Under-20 Games equipment to Harare despite President Mugabe and Vice President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s assurances that the equipment will remain in the city as part of the Games’ legacy.
Zimbabwe’s Under-21 netball team qualified for the prestigious World Youth Netball Cup with two games to spare at the qualifiers held in Gaborone, Botswana.
Hwange and the nation are robbed of a former footballer; midfield general Simeon Ndhlovu, who died at the age of 40. Ndlovu, who also had a stint with Zimbabwe Saints, died at Hwange Colliery Hospital where he had been admitted for an undisclosed illness.
Caf signed an eight-year sponsorship deal with French oil giants Total that will see the company sponsoring 10 principal competitions beginning with the 2017 African Cup of Nations.
The Sports and Recreation Commission (SRC) ordered all National Sports Associations to regularise their constitutions making it mandatory to have at least two women in the executive committee.
August
Focus was mainly on the Mighty Warriors’ historic Olympic Games appearance in Brazil. The girls put on a spirited show despite shambolic preparations. They conceded 15 goals in their three group matches after heavy loses to Germany (6-1), Canada (3-1) and Australia (6-1).
Despite these lopsided scorelines, the Mighty Warriors won a lot of hearts due to their spirited performances in their first ever appearance at a global football tournament.
September
Legendary former Zimbabwe Saints and Warriors midfield enforcer Ronald “Gidiza” Sibanda went missing from home after leaving his family home in New Lobengula for Barbourfields Stadium for a football match. A police report was made and the family checks all hospitals and mortuaries in the city to no avail. Gidiza, however, made a grand reappearance after a couple of days and claimed his friends had organised a surprise birthday party for him.
The 2016 edition of the Chibuku Super Cup draw that guarantees winners a ticket to represent the country in the Caf Confederations Cup was conducted.
Highlanders president Jonathan Themba Mhlanga dies at the age of 81. Mhlanga, who had been unwell for sometime partly due to old age, died at Premier Hospital in Hillside. Long serving board of directors secretary Jimmy Ncube was elevated to the position of club president, while Mathew Sibindi replaced Ncube as the board of directors’ secretary.
Extreme Fighting Championship (EFC) heavyweight champion Danie van Heerden is stripped of his title after racially insulting Bulawayo-born opponent Elvis “The Bomber” Moyo by comparing him to a chimpanzee. Van Heerden released a post on his social media, but later deleted it and apologised to Moyo.
The Hockey Association of Zimbabwe releases its agenda for the elective annual general meeting. Besides electing a new executive, delegates were to nominate representatives to the African Hockey Federation (AFHF), the International Hockey Federation (FIH) as well as the Zimbabwe Olympic Committee (Zoc).
Sport and Recreation Minister Makhosini Hlongwane and his Cuban counterpart Antonio Becali Garrido, who is also president of the National Institute of Sports, Physical Education and Recreation (INDER) in Cuba, sign a Memorandum of Understanding between the two ministries concerning co-operation in the field of sport.
October
Hwange FC players strike over unpaid winning bonuses and signing on fees stretching for more than a year.
Highlanders’ long time benefactor Tshinga Dube comes out in full support of floating shares for the club as a way of turning it into a financially sound entity. He said members can then become shareholders because “we need to move with the times, this business of thinking like those who founded the club in 1926 must stop. Highlanders should be owning a stadium and even a plane, why not. Bosso is a brand”.
Former Zifa vice-president and one of the six Zimbabweans to be trained as a Fifa accredited anti-match fixing trainers Ndumiso Gumede calls on players and football officials to embrace Fifa’s tripple R guidelines to combat the match fixing scourge. The tripple R guidelines call upon individuals to be able to recognise, resist and report any signs or actual match fixing taking place anywhere.
Bulawayo Residents’ Association challenges City Fathers to expedite the appointment of a substantive Bulawayo City FC chief executive officer to ensure smooth running of the club.
November
Highlanders visit the grave of its founder Albert Khumalo, who died in 1952. Khumalo is buried in Gwatemba, Insiza district.
Zimbabwean referees are once again snubbed for a major continental tourna-ment following the announcement of 11 referees and 14 assistants for the 10th Women Africa Cup of Nations set for Cameroon.
Bulawayo City FC chairman Jerry Sibanda is gagged from talking to the media.
Management team for Zimbabwe’s African Union Sports Council Region Five Under-20 squad proposes a two-week training camp following the endorsement of the team by the Sports and Recreation Commission.
Ngezi Platinum Stars lift the Chibuku Super Cup with a 3-1 win over favourites FC Platinum in a final played at Baobab Stadium in Mhondoro.
The Zimbabwe squads for the All-Africa Pool Association Blackball Championships held in Uganda fails to impress with only Adriel Shuma reaching the semi-finals in the men’s singles where he was knocked out by Godfrey Settumba of Uganda.
Zifa suspend Highlanders and PSL chairman Peter Dube as well as chief executive officer Ndumiso Gumede. Dube, was the first casualty in the relegation and promotion circus enveloping domestic football, while Gumede paid the price for questioning the legitimacy of the stillborn Nafaz.
Banned Bulawayo City FC assistant coach Farai Mujokoro made damning allegations against some top Zifa officials in the Southern Region, saying they had advised him to implicate club chairman Jerry Sibanda and coach Philani “Beefy” Ncube in exchange for his freedom.
The PSL threatens to take Zifa to the Court of Arbitration for Sports if the national association does not change its position on the number of teams to be relegated. The PSL questions the wisdom of changing the relegation format with just two games to go. Zifa wants four teams in and two teams out.
Caf announces a total sponsorship package increase of more than 100 percent for its club competitions, while the African Cup of Nations total package also goes up by 64 percent in a move that will see teams finishing last in their groups getting $475 000.
Caps United lifts the 2016 Castle Lager PSL title. FC Platinum finish runners-up and Highlanders third. 2015 champions Chicken Inn could only manage a fourth place finish while former champions Dynamos failed to finish in the top four for the first time in years. DeMbare finished fifth.
Zimbabwean Stanley Mutoya is appointed the inaugural Region Five chief executive officer following constitutional changes that saw the abolishment of the secretary-general position. The appointment is on a five year performance-based contract.
The 2016 Soccer Stars of the Year are selected.
A legislator accuses Zifa of violence against women for allegedly ill-treating the Mighty Warriors by giving them a paltry $5 each for their participation at the Rio Olympics in August.
December
Hardlife Zvirekwi is named the 2016 Soccer Star of the Year, while his coach Lloyd Chitembwe gets the Coach of the Year award. Leonard Tsipa is first runner-up and FC Platinum’s Petros Mhari second runner-up and Goalkeeper of the Year. Prince Dube wins the Rookie of the Year accolade.
Doping scandal rocks Zimbabwe swimming with young swimmers allegedly being injected with banned substances two weeks before major competition events. Swimmers as young as 14 years have been victims of this dark secret.
Warriors Coach Callisto Pasuwa names a provisional 31-member Total Caf African Nations Cup finals squad, leaving out Goalkeeper of the Year Mhari. Netone unveils a $250 000 Warriors Afcon finals sponsorship deal.
Zifa president Philip Chiyangwa ordered Dynamos chairman Kenny Mubaiwa to lead PSL on interim basis and also hinted on a looming suspension of PSL chief executive Kenny Ndebele whom the Zifa boss accused of fomenting the frosty relations between the league and the association. Ndebele refuted allegations that he was a divisive figure.
Zifa president Philip Chiyangwa lands the Cosafa presidency unopposed following the withdrawals of incumbent Suketu Patel and Safa president Danny Jordaan.
Tsholotsho Football Club hints on relocating to Beitbridge or Victoria Falls.
Zimbabwe Under-20 soccer side wins gold at the African Union Sports Council Region Five Under-20 Youth Games held in Angola.
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