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Sports Reporter
THE man in charge of Zifa’s purse, Phillemon Machana, did not raid the association’s account to finance his travel to Zurich, Switzerland for the Fifa congress, Zifa president Phillip Chiyangwa has revealed.
“As the Zifa president I don’t have any problem with Machana, I don’t know where reports that he travelled to Zurich without my approval came from. Maybe someone was just being mischievous.
“I am the one who said he should travel together with Edzai Kasinauyo because we were going to have meetings with Fifa on the sidelines of the elective congress and these meetings had to do with our debt.
“I want to categorically state that Machana did not take any money from the Zifa coffers to finance that trip . . . it’s unfortunate that such reports came out,” he said.
Machana said he was ready to move on after an embarrassing chapter that also threatened to hurt his personal businesses.
“As you know I came onto the board as an independent, if you may call it, having campaigned on my own without backing any candidate for the presidency.
“Many expected (Chiyangwa) to have problems with working with me but that has not been the case . . . he is a professional and has given me the important finance portfolio to handle.
“I have pledged to use all my expertise to help him turnaround the fortunes of the association and I don’t believe siphoning US$1 700 to buy a return ticket to Zurich is the way to do it,” said Machana.
The Conduit Soccer Academy owner, who was recently appointed into the Cosafa finance committee, added that football politics would not deter him from serving the game.
“Such things come with the terrain but one has to remain focused on the job. As Zifa we are in a tight financial position and just like the president there are times when I have used my money to fund some operations but this is not something to go to town about.
“It’s regrettable that I was accused of siphoning money and later returning it to the Zifa account but life goes on, I retain the confidence of my principal and that’s all that matters.”
The Zifa board member refused to divulge details on meetings with Fifa concerning the association’s US$5 million debt.
“The reason I travelled to Zurich was the need to attend those meetings and the visa was granted because of an invitation from Fifa but it’s premature for us to reveal what we discussed.
“Suffice to say the issue of the debt is dear to president Chiyangwa’s heart and we are working round the clock to see how best we can address it,” said Machana.
Online Reporter