Chronicle Editor
Ricky Zililo, Senior Sports Reporter
ZIFA hold the key for resumption of local football, with the Sports and Recreation Commission (SRC) waiting for the national association to respond to the standard operating procedures (SOPs) for commencement of the game.
Last week’s decision to grant rugby clearance to return to competition on condition that the Zimbabwe Rugby Union (ZRU) presents to SRC a framework on how it will progress to create a safe environment, ignited debate and football followers have questioned how rugby was cleared ahead of football.
Some were of the view that maybe Zifa didn’t apply for an exemption, something that SRC has dispelled through its comment that the football motherbody knows what’s expected of it for action to resume.
The SRC said granting permission to the Warriors to travel for the friendly match against Malawi as well as league champions FC Platinum to start training in preparation for the Caf Champions League demonstrates that the country’s supreme sports body has no underlying agenda against the game.
Asked what has been the stumbling block for the resumption of football, Prince Mupazviriho, the SRC director-general, said Zifa is aware of what it must do to meet the requirements.
“From our side, we’re doing what needs to be done as you saw us clearing the Warriors and FC Platinum. Talk to Xolisani Gwesela (Zifa communications manager) or Joseph Mamutse (Zifa chief executive officer), they know what to do,” said Mupazviriho.
Government last month proposed a return of football through a bio-bubble concept, which involves clubs camping in a safe environment with no contact with the outside world.
Zifa needs to submit a guiding document to the SRC which will address the SOPs for transport, training facilities, changing rooms and equipment and on the field of play.
Chronicle Sport has established that the major stumbling block is lack of a guiding document that states procedures, which include testing of players and support staff.
It is not clear if the Zifa medical committee and Premier Soccer League doctors have met with the SRC doctors to discuss the scientific approach to adopt for the safe return of football.
The first step to resumption of sport that the SRC is keen on is testing of players and support staff and Zifa must state when these tests will be done, who will fund them and cover disinfection of facilities.
“Zifa needs to present guidelines to the SRC to be granted permission and to date, there’s no road map. The case of FC Platinum was different because the club being a mining club subscribes to SOPs governing the mining industry, which are not the same as those applying to Highlanders or Dynamos, among other teams. So, for that reason, Zifa must have clear guidelines or roadmap.
“They mustn’t confuse testing, training and bubble concept. People can only go to the bubble once they have passed medicals or fitness, which might be four to six weeks. This issue of coming up with a document started in July and had Zifa been organised, by now teams would have long been given clearance to train after satisfying the SOPs given by the SRC,” said a source.
“Zifa and other football leaders think that if the SRC says we’ve given you the greenlight they’ll head straight to training, which isn’t true. The SRC, as a governing body, will only grant that permission once there’s a guiding document after being satisfied that there are no health threats.”
Online Reporter