HOW THE FIFA CODE OF ETHICS MADE IT IMPOSSIBLE FOR ZIFA BOSS MAGWIZI TO ACCEPT WICKNELL’S DREAM GIFT

Mugove Chigada

Zimpapers Sports Hub

IT was the gift of dreams – a brand new 2026 Range Rover Sport D350 Autobiography Limited Edition, which cost a whooping US$250,000 to acquire.

Businessman and philanthropist, Wicknell Chivayo, who now has a significant interest in domestic football, unveiled the gift on Monday.

He said it was meant to honour ZIFA president Nqobile Magwizi for the excellent job he has done in leading ZIFA since he took over as the association’s president in January last year.

Last month, Magwizi marked his first year in charge of the national game.

But, Zimpapers Sport revealed yesterday that Magwizi cannot accept the gift without violating the FIFA Code of Ethics which, in the worst case scenario, could see him losing his post as the overall leader of domestic football.

Article 20 of the FIFA Code of Ethics deals with ‘offering and accepting gifts and other benefits,’ and reads:

1. Persons bound by this Code may only offer or accept gifts or other benefits to and from persons within or outside FIFA, or in conjunction with intermediaries or related parties as defined in this Code, which:
2. a) Have symbolic or trivial value;
3. b) Exclude any influence for the execution or omission of an act that is related to their official activities or falls within their discretion;
4. c) Are not contrary to their duties;
5. d) Do not create any undue pecuniary or other advantage and
6. e) Do not create a conflict of interest. Any gifts or other benefits not meeting all of these criteria are prohibited.
7. If in doubt, gifts shall not be offered or accepted. In all cases, persons bound by this Code shall not offer to or accept from anyone within or outside FIFA cash in any amount or form.
8. Persons bound by this Code must refrain from any activity or behaviour that might give rise to the appearance or suspicion of improper conduct as described in the foregoing sections, or any attempt thereof.

Chivayo has business links with Scottland and Highlanders, clubs which fall under the supervision of Magwizi, as the overall leader of domestic football.

ZIFA provide the referees who handle matches in the domestic Premiership and Magwizi, as the boss of the association, would have found himself in a compromising position.

Or, in the event of a dispute between the two clubs, and their rivals in the domestic Premiership, ZIFA would have found themselves in a difficult position to intervene.

What are the sanctions for breaching the Code?

“Breaching this Code, or any other FIFA rules and regulations by persons bound by this Code, are punishable by one or more of the following sanctions:

1. a) Warning, (b) Reprimand, (c) Fine, (d) Return of awards, (e) Match suspension, (f) Ban from dressing rooms and/or substitutes’ bench, (g) Ban from entering a stadium, (f) Ban from taking part in any football-related activity.”

 

EXAMPLES

• In 2018, FIFA banned CAF executive committee member and Zambia great Kalusha Bwalya from all football-related activities for two years for receiving gifts from former president of the Asian Football Confederation Mr Mohammed bin Hammam.
• In the same year, former Ghana Football Association president Kwesi Nyantakyi was banned by FIFA after he was filmed apparently accepting a “cash gift”. He was filmed taking a $65,000 gift from an undercover reporter pretending to be a businessman. At the time of his ban, Nyantakyi was the second most powerful official in African football and was also a member of the FIFA Council.
• In 2020, former CAF president Ahmad was banned for five years by FIFA for offences including “offering and accepting gifts or other benefits”.

Yesterday, Zimpapers Sports Hub revealed that while Magwizi appreciates Chivayo’s gift, his hands were tied by the FIFA Code of Ethics.

Chivayo has of late been one of local football biggest benefactors, supporting mostly the national team, Scottland and Highlanders.

Zimpapers Sports Hub understands ZIFA hold the businessman in high regards and appreciate the big difference he has made in football.

Just yesterday, Chivayo handed over a luxury bus to Highlanders.

“The association values him highly because of the impact he has on football. But this case provides a big challenge,” said the source.

“But, this has also been a huge learning curve for the association as well in helping stakeholders understand football protocols.

“Football cannot do without people like Chivayo and many other corporates.

“Most of the stakeholders are very innocent and not aware of some of the FIFA Statutes, so the association must find ways that help them fully benefit.”