Asiagate: First 30 players to be cleared

Independent committee has quietly gone about their business since being appointed in October last year.
Yesterday the committee chaired by retired Supreme Court judge Justice Ahmed Ebrahim made their first public statement on the probe and stressed that they were committed to spearheading Zimbabwe’s efforts in fighting the scourge of corruption that has permeated sports worldwide.
Ebrahim, flanked by entire committee, told a press conference in the capital that he would next week revel the names of 30 players they believe should be exonerated from any wrong day.
The move will also pave the way for Warriors coach Rahman Gumbo to consider any of them for national duty ahead of the start of Zimbabwe’s 2014 World Cup qualifying campaign on June 3.
The Warriors will host Guinea at Rufaro on June 3 before travelling to Mozambique the following weekend.
They will then play Burundi in a 2013 African Cup of Nations first round, second leg qualifier at Rufaro on June 24.
Zifa suspended from all national teams, all the players and coaches fingered in the Asiagate scandal.
The Ethics Committee, which was commissioned last October is expected to bring 98 players and 17 for hearings on the Asian trips done by the national teams between 2007 and 2009 where they were accused of being paid to lose matches.
Ebrahim yesterday indicated that from the submissions made so far, the committee has been convinced that there are some players who were used as pawns in the infamous excursions and therefore, have no case to answer.
The former Zimbabwe Cricket vice-chairperson said the names of the players would be released this week while wider investigations continue.
“We are hoping that sometime during the week we should be able to indicate through our press office that a group of about 30 players will be recommended to Zifa as having no evidence.
“In fact let me put it more fully that our investigations show that they are really exonerated.”
Ebrahim, however, revealed that the committee could take longer than had been expected to complete its task as they are currently facing various obstacles in their work, chief among them non-co-operation by some of the concerned players and officials.
Some of the players facing allegations of match-fixing have failed to comply with requests to give evidence.
“Some players have not been cooperative,” said Ebrahim.
“We have faced obstacles from certain clubs who may have told players not to respond.”
Ebrahim making reference to the Fifa disciplinary code and Article 50 of the Zifa constitution said the players and officials who refuse to give evidence will face the full weight of Fifa’s statutes, which include a fine of up to $10 000 and empower the committee to reach a verdict using other evidence.
The retired judge also said that while committee was hoping to finish its work by the end of April, it is – in fact — going to take much longer.
“We have had numerous meetings. We are doing our best, but there is still a long way to go. We are well advanced in our work, and we have a good idea of who the ringleaders are, but there are people externally that we need to talk to’’.
Ebrahim also slammed corruption in sport which he said was not only peculiar to football.
“Corruption and dishonesty in sport is a cancer, and we need to play our part in combating such activity.”
The committee, Ebrahim also said had resolved to give foreign-based players a chance to complete their seasons before asking them to testify.
A large number of witnesses have since testified in the investigations but there are still 15 players in South Africa, one each in Swaziland, Mozambique and Europe who are yet to give their side of the story to the investigating team.
He said while praying for a quick end, the committee would not close the chapter until they get all the submissions and will also be forced to wait for the foreign-based players to finish their seasons, with the latest expected to be in mid May.
The Asiagate probe, Ebrahim also said was not a cheap and easy task.
“It’s a very expensive exercise, it’s time consuming. Don’t for a moment think that we are sitting back on our laurels. We are doing the best we can but we have still some way to go. As I have indicated, we are pretty well advanced in our investigations. We have a pretty good idea of the ring leaders in this. We also have a pretty good idea of some of the participants who were not ring leaders but who also participated willingly.
“At the same time there are people externally that we want to talk to. Until we complete our investigations, we will not be rushed into things. Everything has to be done properly.
“Ultimately those that don’t come forward to try and exonerate, not even exonerate but come and explain their innocence, may well be faced with the full weight of the law in terms as of the (Fifa and Zifa) statutes.”
Ebrahim said the committee would do all in its power to see justice prevailing in this case but would not be rushed to conclude their work as they believe that “the investigations must be thorough and impartial.”
He said while a lot of ground had been covered to date, there is still more to be done to bring the Asiagate scandal to finality and avoid a repetition of a similar case.
“At this point, it appears that certainly a number of persons could, and should, be brought before criminal courts and before a disciplinary committee. However these numbers are certainly likely to increase after further detail is availed,” he said.
The Independent Ethics Committee chairman also said the Asiagate scandal is a complex issue which needed extra care as it involved a lot of people, some of whom are based outside the country.
He also said there may be necessity for the team of investigators to travel outside the country to interview officials of the hosting teams during the tours concerned, subject to proper protocol.
Ebrahim said in the cases of individuals who refuse to co-operate, the committee will invoke Article 50 of the Zifa constitution, which is supported by Clauses 97 and 110 of the Fifa Disciplinary Code.
Article 110 of the Fifa Disciplinary Code on the collaboration of parties involved states that:
i l The parties are obliged to collaborate to establish the facts. In particular, they shall comply with requests for information from the judicial bodies.
ii l Whenever deemed necessary, the secretariat verifies the parties’ versions of the facts.
iii l If the parties are dilatory in responding, the chairman of the judicial body may, after warning them, impose a fine of up to CHF 10000.
l iv. If the parties fail to collaborate, especially if they ignore the stipulated time limits, the judicial bodies will reach a decision on the case using the file in their possession.