dyton mupawaenda
ZIFA have launched a probe into reports that some players in the Young Warriors squad may have manipulated their ages in order to make the cut in Zimbabwe’s side for the COSAFA Under-20 tournament.
The Young Warriors were scheduled to fly out to Maputo, Mozambique, last night ahead of their COSAFA Under-20 opening match on Thursday.
They will be without one of their brightest prospects Nokutenda Mangezi, whose new South African Premiership club SuperSport United declined to release, citing the striker crisis at the Tshwane outfit.
“Due to a lengthening injury list and key matches coming up, his club have asked that he be excused,’’ read a footnote on the ZIFA statement announcing the travelling party.
Young Warriors mentor Simon Marange’s camp has, however, been rocked by damning allegations that at least half dozen of the squad, which the Orlando Pirates youth coach has been working with in training, dabbled with their ages to remain eligible for selection.
In the absence of Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) for the Under-20s, ZIFA have had to rely on information supplied by the players and their respective coaches and the identity documents they presented when vetting the players who reported for camp.
But that has not stopped suspicions about the questionable ages of some of the players from gaining momentum.
And ZIFA technical director Jethro Hunidzarira said yesterday that they were taking the allegations seriously had engaged both the Ministry of Home Affairs and Cultural Heritage and the Zimbabwe School Examinations Council to assist in their investigations.
Hunidzarira said their own initial probe had shown that “everything is above board’’.
“We have investigated and ended up at ZIMSEC and Home Affairs verifying.
“We also asked all the players to fill in affidavits stating that the documents and the information they have provided is true.
“We then followed up with the suspects and although their documents look okay, we have gone a step further and checked with ZIMSEC,’’ Hunidzarira said.
“So, we are giving them (players) the benefit of the doubt and allowed them to travel but if the investigations show otherwise, whoever would have been caught will be recalled.
Hunidzarira bemoaned the poor record-keeping at ZIFA which he said had made their job difficult.
“Unfortunately, at ZIFA there are no record so we rely on what the coaches gives us and a player’s record on the FIFA Connect.
“When we came in there was no proper hand-over-take-over and we had to start from scratch with no records and indeed lack of records makes it is very difficult to prove that someone has tampered with his age,’’ added Hunidzarira.
Zimbabwe Under-20 Squad
Goalkeepers: Joseph Kaunda (Manica Diamonds), Michael Kubvedzi (ZPC Kariba), Tatenda Chikowero (Ngezi Platinum)
Defenders: Allan Karakadzai (Simba Bhora), Allan Chapinduka (TelOne FC), Blessed Mashonganyika (Ngezi Platinum), Kurainashe Musanhi (Crystal Palace), Mvelo Khoza (Highlanders), Morris Musamba (Bikita Minerals)
Midfielders: Kennedy Mupomba (Chelmsford City FC), Denzel Mapuwa (Green Fuel), Prince Ndlovu (Highlanders), Kingsley Mureremba (Caps United), Enock Moyo (Bikita Minerals), Tanaka Munemo (Ngezi Platinum), Nesbert Muzenda (Ngezi Platinum), Mafios Chiweta (Ajax Hotspurs), Munashe Munenzva
Forwards: Tanaka Cherera (Bury FC), Sean Mzinde (Harare City)
*Nokutenda Mangezi (SuperSport United) — due to a lengthening injury list and key matches coming up, his club have asked that he be excused.
Online Reporter