CAF funds issue being sorted,says Chiyangwa

Grace Chingoma Senior Sports Reporter
ZIFA president Philip Chiyangwa says the association had delayed paying Warriors coach Callisto Pasuwa and the ZIFA secretariat after some of their funds from CAF were sent into a dormant BancABC account.

He said he was now working on modalities to have the transaction reversed so that the money is sent into correct account where they can access it.

On Thursday, the Parliamentary Portfolio Committee on Sport were told by the secretary-general Jonathan Mashingaidze that the ZIFA employees were owed 11 months’ salary and they were, at times, forced to make do with some allowances from gate takings.

Speaking at Press briefing in Harare yesterday, Chiyangwa, flanked by his partner Wicknell Chivayo and Mighty Warriors coach Shadreck Mlauzi, said the issue was now being sorted by the bank’s executive and CAF.

“If it weren’t for BancABC, who held funds for ZIFA’s use, I would have paid the workers, not just Pasuwa, because he is also one of the workers, but everybody else.

“So, I am working on that. I went to the bank yesterday, I am awaiting a meeting with the CEO so that he releases that money back to CAF, CAF will then send it to the correct account of ZIFA, that account of BancABC was closed.

“It is about $62 000, the salaries are $25 000 per month.

“I have another sum coming from FIFA, something like $87 000, and so, put together, I can pay that and pay for other things that I need to pay for them to be able to buy bond papers,” said Chiyangwa.

Speaking a day after the Olympics draw was conducted in Rio de Janeiro, Chiyangwa said they were also looking into the welfare of the women’s soccer team regarding their remuneration as well as the preparations for Brazil.

He said they have since agreed with New Zealand to have a friendly match just before the Mighty Warriors first match against Canada on August 3 at Itaquera Arena in Sao Paulo.

“Zimbabwe, the Warriors, are going to play a friendly with Uganda. The Mighty Warriors are playing New Zealand in Brazil as a friendly and this is a thing they have to do before they enter into their competition.

“They are going play New Zealand, that is now finalised and Mashingaidze is sorting the finer details,” he said.

Chiyangwa said he believes the team will not be pushovers at the summer games.

“So far we have been very good even with the facilities that we have and the economic challenges, we can’t match standards of China, Germany and Canada but given the challenge that we have before us, we know that we have to impress.

“I am sure we can beat some teams and they shouldn’t underestimate us, we know our girls are hard working.

“Of course they have been put into the Group of Death, even South Africa they are in a difficult group, so the two teams from Africa we will see which one will last the distance, we will compare ourselves,” he said.

The Harare businessman said the Mighty Warriors budget was not a big one compared to the Warriors who have the bulk of the players based outside the country and he will speak with his partner Chivayo to avail more funds, specifically for the Mighty Warriors.

Coach Shadreck Mlauzi said they were not just going to make up the numbers in Rio.

“First and foremost we are happy as the Mighty Warriors to be featuring in such a tournament of that stature. It is a great achievement on its own.

“Then, secondly, I have had a lot of questions from the media seeking reaction and my answer has been a simple one — football is round.

“Modern methods of training are similar across the world. Tactics, if it is a 4-4-2 or 4-5-1, they are similar across the world.

“Maybe the difference becomes the resources, the infrastructure and maybe the professionalism of the teams that we would be up against.

“Other than that it is a good draw.

“We knew that qualifying for the Olympics we will play the top ranked nations in the world.

Remember we are ranked lower than all the teams at the Olympics.

“So, going into the Olympics on its own, we knew that we would be unseeded, when you are unseeded you expect to play against any team in the top 10, so we are not surprised but I can tell you we will prepare and we will go and compete,” said Mlauzi.