Fuz get FIFPro membership

Sports Reporter
FOOTBALLERS Union of Zimbabwe president Desmond Maringwa has been selected to represent Africa in the FIFPro Integrity Committee.
The development comes after Zimbabwe were awarded full membership status at the International Federation of Professional Footballers (FIFPro) annual congress that is currently underway in Ljubljana, Slovenia.
The three-day congress, which started on Tuesday, ends today and Maringwa is attending the congress together with the Union’s secretary-general, Paul Gundani.

After being part of FIFPro’s six new members, FUZ were further honoured by the appointment of Maringwa to represent the African continent in the FIFPro Integrity committee.

The former Dynamos captain participated in the Interpol Train the Trainer workshop that was held in Victoria Falls recently. The workshop was hosted by Fifa through Cosafa and his commitment to seeing integrity being upheld in the game of soccer was duly rewarded at the FIFPro congress through his appointment.

Speaking after they were awarded the full membership certificate, Gundani said the development is an achievement for Zimbabwe since their voice can now be heard.

“The awarding of full FIFPro membership to us is victory for Zimbabwean footballers as it gives them full participation in international football matters and also full legal protection. It is a positive development to our game and will go a long way in improving the welfare and security of players.

“FUZ is grateful to the support it received from all football stakeholders, players, the media, individuals and our Government during its fight for full membership recognition,” said Gundani.

Other countries that got full membership status are Ecuador (AFE), Ghana (PFAG), Malaysia (PFAM), Namibia (NAFPU) and Paraguay (FAP).

FIFPro’s secretary-general Theo van Seggelen officially welcomed these footballers’ associations to the FIFPro family by handing over the official FIFPro flag to its representatives.

In addition, the players’ associations of Guatemala (AFG), Malta (MFPA) and Venezuela (AUFPV) have been added as candidate members.
Some of the issues affecting professional players on the agenda include match-fixing, third party ownership and FIFPro’s policy on playing in the extreme heat with particular attention being paid to next year’s Fifa World Cup finals in Brazil.