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The world football governing body, FIFA, this week came up with a hard-line stance in the crisis bedevilling Zimbabwean football after they wrote to ZIFA threatening to suspend the country from the global football family.
The threats come against the backdrop of a stand-off between ZIFA and the Sports and Recreation Commission that has been raging on for the past six weeks.
In a lengthy correspondence addressed to suspended ZIFA Chief Executive Officer, Joseph Mamutse, FIFA said Zimbabwe could be banned from international football if the Sports Commission does not reverse their decision to suspend the ZIFA board by January 3.
The ZIFA board, led by Felton Kamambo, was suspended on November 16 by the Sports Commission in terms of Section 30 (i) (c) of the SRC Act.
The board members faced a slew of charges that included financial mismanagement and lack of accountability in the use of public funds, with specific reference to how public funds were spent during the 2019 Africa Cup of Nations campaign.
The association has also been accused of sweeping under the carpet, serious allegations of sexual harassment of some female referees by some members of the ZIFA Referees Committee.
The Sports Commission cited failure by the association’s leadership to develop football at grassroots/junior level in the country and the imminent constitutional crisis ahead of the upcoming ZIFA elections.
The charge sheet was quite loaded and the Sports Commission believed this warranted a suspension of the current board and the need to cleanse the game for a fresh start.
Obviously, the suspended ZIFA board was not in agreement with the decision and this has created tension in the domestic game.
The Sports Commission have done the courtesy of engaging FIFA to help resolve the crisis and, all along, the parties have been involved in “productive” consultations.
The majority of Zimbabweans agree football is on its deathbed and there is no hope for resurrection under the continued leadership of the Kamambo administration.
FIFA have been in direct communication with the Sports Commission for regular updates and they seemed to play ball.
But the turning point was when the Sports Commission informed FIFA that it had appointed an independent “restructuring committee” composed of nine members, which tenure would end by no later than 31 December 2022.
The Sports Commission’s action was guided by legal provisions in the Zimbabwean constitution, under the SRC Act, which among other things empowers the organisation to “ensure proper administration of organisations undertaking the promotion of sport and recreation” in Zimbabwe.
Fair enough, the move by the Sports Commission was well-meaning.
The restructuring committee, comprising men and women of integrity in business, legal and sports management and administration, was a master stroke.
It is not a secret that Zimbabwean football needs a complete overhaul.
As Zimbabwe, that is the way that we want things to move.
But surprisingly, when almost everyone else is seeing the crisis, FIFA decides to turn a blind eye, and they come down with threats of suspension when what we need as Zimbabwe is the way forward in getting our game back on its feet.
It’s sad that FIFA have decided to interpret the decision by the Sports Commission “to constitute undue third-party interference in the internal affairs of ZIFA”.
It’s even tragic when FIFA try to use the upcoming AFCON tournament as a weapon to subdue efforts by Zimbabwe to take corrective measures on the rot that has destroyed our game over the years.
“As a consequence, should such decisions be considered by FIFA to constitute undue third-party interference in the internal affairs of ZIFA, the appropriate sanctions may have to be imposed on ZIFA by the competent FIFA body. In such a case, all of Zimbabwean football would suffer the consequences, especially on the eve of the AFCON 2021,” wrote the FIFA Chief Member Associations Officer, Kenny Jean-Marie.
The current stand-off has been a huge distraction to Zimbabwe’s preparations for the upcoming Africa Cup of Nations tournament to be held in Cameroon next month.
Sports Commission have made it clear, on behalf of all well-meaning football-loving Zimbabweans, that reinstating the Kamambo-led board will not bring any good to the fortunes of Zimbabwe as a football nation.
What we should be asking FIFA is what have they done to address the issues raised by the Zimbabwe football constituency?
It’s not good enough to reduce the allegations of such serious nature as corruption, bribery and sexual harassment that have been raised against the ZIFA board as “mere allegations”.
If FIFA indeed have “a zero-tolerance policy to any form of corruption as well as sexual abuses of any sort in football” as they claim, why then do they seem to be siding with the rogue elements?
FIFA need to have a re-look at the ZIFA issue and do thorough job so that Zimbabwean football is restored to its former glory. Ultimatums and threats of suspensions are not what Zimbabwe need at the moment.
Online Reporter