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Harare Bureau
ZIMBABWE international Devon Chafa will have to wait a little longer before he can know his fate regarding his football career after Fifa extended the initial provisional 30-day ban on the Dynamos midfielder for testing positive for a prohibited substance. Chafa was on 30 August slapped with a provisional 30-day suspension which was due to lapse at the end of September and Fifa were expected to announce the next step.
The world football governing body have since advised the player that the issue is dragging a little longer, meaning Chafa will remain sidelined for at least another three weeks.
Warriors team doctor Nicholas Munyonga yesterday said a final determination over Chafa has not been pronounced by Fifa for now.
“Fifa communicated last week that they have not yet sat over the issue. They advised that they may only be able to meet on 18 October.
“So this means the suspension has been extended,” said Munyonga.
As covered by the Article 132 [part] of the Fifa Disciplinary Code, in the event that the proceedings do not conclude in the 30 days as in this case, it can only be extended by another period not exceeding another 20 days .
Munyonga said Zifa and the player have been advised of the latest developments. Chafa tested positive for a prohibited substance following a random urine sample test conducted on him after Zimbabwe’s World Cup, Group G African qualifier against Egypt at the National Sports Stadium on 9 June.
The 22-year-old’s last game was the BancABC Sup8r semi-final where DeMbare lost on penalties against Shabanie Mine at Barbourfields. The ban was a shattering blow as it came at a time when the player appeared to be at his peak.
Hopes were high that after the 30-day suspension, Chafa would bounce back from the sidelines and resurrect his promising career for both club and country.
Both Dynamos and the Zifa have been supportive towards the player as he tries to battle his way out of the storm where he becomes the first Zimbabwean footballer to be suspended by Fifa over use of a prohibited substance. On 30 August, Fifa posted a statement that the player had been suspended to allow it to start disciplinary proceedings on the doping control case.
“The chairman of the Fifa Disciplinary Committee has provisionally suspended a Zimbabwean international footballer for an initial period of 30 days and opened disciplinary proceedings following an adverse analytical finding in relation to a doping control conducted after the 2014 Fifa World Cup qualifier between Zimbabwe and Egypt played in Harare, Zimbabwe on 9 June 2013,” read the statement from Fifa.
After receiving the ‘A’ sample result, which was positive for a prohibited substance included in Wada’s 2013 prohibited list, Chafa did not request the analysis of the ‘B’ sample within the deadline granted as he felt that it would be a futile defence.
Fifa asked Zifa to submit a statement and all the supporting evidence by 16 September .
The decision to provisionally suspend the player was taken in accordance with articles 38ff of the Fifa Anti-Doping Regulations and articles 129ff of the Fifa Disciplinary Code.
During a Press conference last month, Chafa said he would bravely take the suspension in its stride and was positive of resuming his career. Chafa’s case has highlighted the need for local athletes to advise their doctors not to prescribe them drugs that are prohibited.
As Chafa remained banned from even training with his team-mates, his coach at Dynamos Callisto Pasuwa had been using Stephen Alimenda, Sydney Linyama or Thomas Magorimbo as the holding midfielder.
Online Reporter