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ZIFA have demanded that the Regional leaders apologise to the Association by today, for attending the meeting of councillors on May 16 which revoked the authority of Cuthbert Dube to lead domestic football, for their ban to be lifted.
This follows a meeting that was held, after the suspensions were effected, attended by Dube and some of the Regional leaders and attended by Sports Commission director-general Charles Nhemachena.
The meeting was held at the ZIFA Village.
The revelations that Nhemachena has been secretly mediating a truce, while scripting hard-hitting public statements about the crisis at ZIFA, will make some of those who were suspended begin to doubt his sincerity in dealing with the case.
Yesterday, ZIFA chief executive, Jonathan Mashingaidze demanded apologies before the suspensions can be lifted, something that was not agreed at that meeting attended by Nhemachena.
“Following the mediation meeting held on 18th June 2015 between the Sport and Recreation Commission Director-General, Colonel Charles Nhemachena, ZIFA President, Dr Cuthbert E Dube, ZIFA Northern Region’s Mr Willard Manyengavana, ZIFA Northern Region’s Mr Martin Kweza and ZIFA Central Region’s Mr Festus Kamambo, the Zimbabwe Football Association is more than ready to consider lifting your suspension in the interest of football development and camaraderie, provided that you show remorse for attending the meeting of 16th of May 2015,” Mashingaidze wrote.
“Please be advised that the ZIFA Board is more concerned with repositioning our game than fighting each other at the expense of football.
“Considering the urgency of the matter at hand, may you kindly deposit your letter of apology with the Association by no later than 1300hrs on 26 June, 2015.
“The ZIFA Board’s Emergency Committee will be meeting this week and will be briefed by the ZIFA President, Dr Cuthbert E Dube, on your request for the lifting of your suspension.
“The request for the lifting of the suspension is on the clear understanding that you would not attend such similar unconstitutional meeting in the future.”
Interestingly, Mashingaidze has already decided that the suspensions — which so far has been dressed as actions of the ZIFA Board — can be lifted even though the Board hasn’t met since the sanctions were imposed.
This appears to give credibility to claims by some critics that the decisions are made by just a few individuals and the ZIFA Board is just used as a vehicle to rubber stamp them.
ZIFA also appear to be under immense pressure given that FIFA have not endorsed the suspensions and the Sports Commission have been piling on the pressure.
Online Reporter