Fifa seminar set for Vic Falls

fellow associations at a seminar for general secretaries from the East and Southern Africa.
Chief executives and general secretaries from Eastern and Southern African football associations are scheduled to converge in Victoria Falls from August 21-25 for a high profile Fifa seminar at which various topics related to the governance of the game will be discussed.
Fifa are funding the seminar as part of the world soccer governing body’s continued efforts to develop and strengthen the capacities of the African game.
Former Cosafa secretary-general Ashford Mamelodi heads the Fifa development office for Southern Africa in Gaborone, Botswana, which is co-ordinating the course.
The countries invited to the workshop include Botswana, Ethiopia, Kenya, Lesotho, Malawi, Mauritius, Mozambique, Namibia, Seychelles, South Africa, Swaziland, Tanzania, Uganda, Zambia and Zimbabwe.
In their correspondence to the invited associations, Fifa also indicated that they would outline to the chief executives and the general secretaries, the co-operation between the world body and the Confederation of African Football.
They will also talk about the working relationship between the secretariat and the different executive boards of associations as well the licensing of players, which has become electronic in line with the global trends that have leaned heavily towards information technology.
“The seminar will be expected to discuss among other topics the following:
l Fifa general information (Organisation of member associations and development division)
l Development and technical programmes
l Roles of the general secretary and technical director within the member association
l Working relationship and collaboration between executive committee and general secretaries
l IT challenges with today’s football (Licence and TMS)”.
Zifa chief executive Jonathan Mashingaidze said yesterday the member associations and the Fifa office had asked him to share Zimbabwe’s experience on the problems of match fixing and betting during the seminar.
In 2009 Botswana fired their chief executive following allegations of match fixing following the Zebras tour of China.
Fifa were also on high alert to check on possible incidences of match fixing during the 2010 World Coup in South Africa.
Zifa recently produced two reports following lengthy investigations into allegations that the Warriors and Young Warriors were caught up in a syndicate of match fixing and betting on the various trips to Asia.
Mashingaidze said the countries, who will take part at the seminar believe they can learn and benefit from Zifa’s experience to try and block match-fixers from infiltrating the regions’ games.