Fifa ban: Cuthbert Dube under siege

Sikhumbuzo Moyo and Eddie Chikamhi in Harare
THE chorus for the resignation of Zifa president Cuthbert Dube and his entire board grew louder yesterday following the national team’s expulsion from the 2018 World Cup qualifiers by world football governing body, Fifa.

Former Premier Soccer League secretary-general Chris Sambo, who has been calling for the dismissal of the Zifa board, said his fears had been confirmed.

Sambo demanded that Dube must step down following the decision by Zifa to throw Zimbabwe out of the next World Cup for failing to settle a $60,000 debt owed to former national team coach, Jose Valinhos.

The veteran administrator said the future looked bleak and that the Warriors will continue to tumble in the world rankings with the current administration.

“If the truth has to be said, the Zifa board and everyone to do with our football must step down with immediate effect since there is no more football left to administer in this country. The Zifa board must be disbanded,” said Sambo.

Life-long Footballers’ Trust of Zimbabwe chairman Francis Zimunya, whose group has been advocating for the disbandment of the Zifa board, said his organisation’s calls have been vindicated.

Zimunya said Dube and his entire administration should leave office as a matter of urgency since they have failed the nation on many things.

“They knew about this debt and what was at stake, according to the communication from Fifa.

“At least they were made aware of this debt to the coach well after Cuthbert Dube had come into office and they ignored all those demands from Fifa,” he said.

“This is the hallmark of Zifa mismanagement of football affairs in this country. They don’t put their priorities right. They ignored instructions from the highest office in football as they always do.

“They always ignore the most important issues, and in the process they’ve destroyed everything Zimbabwean football stands for. The only honourable thing for them to do is to resign en masse. We’ve been vindicated, our actions have been vindicated by Fifa’s action.”

Footballers Union of Zimbabwe secretary-general Paul Gundani lamented the opportunity lost to the players to showcase their talents in the tournament as they will now have to wait for the 2022 qualifiers. The former Warriors player said the administration should take full responsibility.

“The latest development in which Fifa has dumped Zimbabwe’s participation in the 2018 World Cup preliminaries over debt robs players an opportunity to showcase their skills.,” he said.

“This development was avoidable, and the Zifa board and its administrative structure, must take full responsibility. Players continue to be the losers in the FA’s shortcomings and the question is, ‘For how long will our game be subjected to such mediocre type of management?’” said Gundani.

Zimbabwe National Soccer Supporters’ Association spokesperson Paddington Japajapa, a long-time critic of the association, said Sports, Arts and Culture Minister Andrew Langa should now step into the fray and disband the Zifa board without fear of being banned.

“If there is any suitable time to clean up all the mess in Zimbabwean football, this is the time. We’re challenging the Minister to take decisive action,” he said.

“If he was not prepared to take action before, this is the time now. There’s no way the current Zifa board can take Zimbabwean soccer out of the doldrums. We must take advantage of the banishment.”

Veteran sports administrator and social commentator Albert Nhamoyebonde said the riot action by Fifa has exposed Dube and his subordinates in a big way.

“They’ve brought the name of the country into disrepute, I don’t see why they should continue in office.

“This is totally unacceptable. The Zifa Council should convene as soon as possible and decide what to do with their leadership,” he said.

“But to me it’s a foregone conclusion that new officers must be elected. These guys have been hiding behind Fifa for long and now that Fifa themselves have seen their incompetence and sanctioned them, where will they run to?”