Fifa praise Asiagate measures

the Fifa head of security, told The Herald that they were closely monitoring the events in Zimbabwe and they have apparently been charmed by Zifa’s move to flex its muscles and blacklist players, fingered in Asiagate, from the national teams.
The players can only be eligible to qualify for selection in the event that they are cleared by an Independent Ethics Committee that will determine the fate of all those fingered in the Asiagate scandal.
Eaton said Zifa were showing signs of leadership and needed to abide by Fifa’s guidelines, regarding match-fixing, as the international mother body battles to secure long term-solution to this scourge devouring the game worldwide.
“I can tell you that as Fifa we are happy that finally Zifa are showing signs of leadership which have been absent all along, in the manner they are running football affairs in Zimbabwe and, in particular, cases of match-fixing,” said Eaton.
“The association suffered a lot from lack of leadership that is why a lot of these problems escalated, but recent events show that they are now trying to take control of events, which is positive.
“But I will hasten to add that they need to handle this Asiagate scandal with as much justice, by treating the matter as important to finding a lasting solution.
“We want to see everyone alleged to have been involved being made accountable for their actions as much as we have seen the suspension of players and some officials, Zifa too, should not selectively apply that law as there are some figures who have not been brought to book yet.”
Focus, in recent days, has turned to Zifa board member, Benedict Moyo, after The Sunday Mail this week published a story claiming the 2010 World Cup warm-up match between Zimbabwe and Japan in George, South Africa, might have fallen prey to match-fixing agents.
Moyo was head of delegation of the Warriors and confirms that they received US$20 000 as appearance fees for the match.
The money was shared among the players and the travelling officials and there were about, at least, three Zifa board members at that match.
Unlike the normal football game played over 90 minutes and split into two halves, the game in George was played in three parts with a break after every 30 minutes.
It ended goalless.
While an official invite for the friendly match was indeed sent by the Japan Football Association, what Fifa are focussing on in such games are the agents who played the part in the organisation of the match, the referees and their interests in doing so.
Match-fixing agents usually hijacked the process once two national associations had committed themselves to a match and would target either a set of players or the referees.
That is why Fifa have already been in touch with the Japan Football Association to get clarification on such technical issues related to the match.
Fifa are also looking at about four 2010 World Cup warm-up matches, involving Bafana Bafana, where agents, who could have a link to match-fixing syndicates, were involved in the organisation of the games.
In one of the four matches, Bafana Bafana beat Colombia 2-1, after getting two soft penalties, and thrashed Guatemala 5-0, their biggest winning margin, after a referee was changed in the tunnel, minutes before the game, after some Safa officials became suspicious.
One of the referees, who were all appointed by agents, was also involved in the controversial match, which Nigeria beat Argentina 4-1 with a questionable penalty being given for the fourth goal that came four minutes after the end of time added on.
Wilson Raj Perumal, the jailed Singaporean accused by Fifa as one of the masterminds of match-fixing on a global scale, has been fingered in the appointment of referees who handled World Cup warm-up matches in South Africa through his shadowy company Football4U.
Safa have already assured Fifa that they will not let agents organise national team games and be involved in the appointment of officials from now onwards.
Eaton said Fifa’s main concern was not so much about punishment but trying to get to the bottom of this syndicate that has penetrated the global game using the most vulnerable organisations and individuals, such as those in Zimbabwe, whom he described as more of victims than culprits.
“But in all our attempts to break the syndicate, we must always be seen to be just and in Zifa’s case they have started by suspensions, it does not mean that all those are convicted,” said Eaton.
“No, it is just a process and, therefore, it is imperative for Zifa to deal with anyone, irrespective of their status, as this matter is not just about Zimbabwe, but it is about the global game which we are trying to save.”
Although Eaton could not be drawn to mentioning names of officials Zifa have not either suspended or interviewed, it is clear most of the information that Fifa have has been gleaned from reports they compiled in the year under review and, at the appropriate time, they will release the report.
Eaton pleaded for patience, from the public, saying they were dealing with a very complex matter that involves huge sums of money and syndicates from across the world with Asia, Americas, Europe and Africa especially prominent.
He estimates that, using figures gleaned from Wold Lotteries Association and Interpol, between 400 million euros and 500 billion euros is being gambled in sport every year and that translates to profits in the range of 15 billion euros from match-fixing for the criminals.
“The figures are huge and a country the size of Zimbabwe can not have any mechanism to negate that without the assistance of Fifa,” said Eaton.
“But Zifa and other associations need to realise that part of my job is to prevent the match-fixers from getting anywhere near the games in the first place and our focus is on lower leagues where we now know the fixers have been operating.”
Eaton said Zifa should ensure that no-one escapes the net and should always revert to Fifa for direction in areas they find challenges.
Fifa have put up an amnesty period, which will run from February to April this year, during which players and officials are free to volunteer information without punishment and this is the period that Zifa are urged to use to finalise their investigations.
“Anyone who has any information is free to approach us and will not institute any charges, no matter what information they have. It is only during this period that we will allow people to come forward,” said Eaton.
“Any information gathered during this period will not be used to try them, but should they fail to come forward but are then found out in the investigation, they will be banned and the rules are clear on that.
“So Zifa need to be very careful how they handle issues as nobody has been found guilty yet and during this period, every information gathered is traded for clemency and we know that most the players and officials have been victims in this case.
“We have interviewed a lot of people and they have given us excellent information that has helped us break some of the syndicates.”
Associations affected will be helped by programmes Eaton put into place such as the Whistle blower programme which will run from February to the end of 2012, the Anonymous reporting hotline and the Rehabilitation programme (for unfairly compromised players and officials) which also runs till the end of the year.
Eaton expressed his joy at Zifa for their efforts to also finish everything within the April framework deadline as the Ethics Committee, headed by Justice Ahmed Ebrahim, are expected to finish by the end of next month in line with Fifa recommendations.
The Fifa security chief will be in South Africa early next month monitoring progress of these programmes and doing investigations ahead of the final report that is now expected after the 62nd Fifa Congress in Budapest, Hungary on 24-25 May.