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Eddie Chikamhi
Senior Sports Reporter
ZIFA chief executive officer Joseph Mamutse has turned down the lifting of his suspension by the Sports and Recreation Commission (SRC) in an apparent move to demonstrate his loyalties towards members of the suspended association’s board led by Felton Kamambo.
Mamutse had been frozen out for the past 18 months as events took different turns in the administration of domestic football leading to the recent suspension of ZIFA by FIFA.
The ZIFA chief executive officer was suspended in November 2020, a year before the axe also fell on the association’s board over a litany of allegations.
He was suspended along with the Sports and Recreation Commission director general Prince Mupazviriho over a series of gaffes that negatively impacted on the game.
The duo’s suspensions were effected to pave the way for a probe into how they allegedly cleared a number of national teams, clandestinely, for assignments outside the country, without following Covid-19 protocols, at the height of the pandemic.
Mamutse also faced charges relating to the manner in which Zimbabwe was left embarrassed after the national Under-17 side were kicked out of the COSAFA tournament for age-cheating.
He unsuccessfully challenged his suspension at the Administrative Court with his case being struck off the roll last month, with costs.
But there appeared to be a thawing of relations between the Sports Commission and ZIFA recently. This followed continued engagements between the newly-constituted ZIFA board led by interim chairman Gift Banda and the Sports and Recreation Commission, leading to the lifting of Mamutse’s suspension. Unfortunately, just as ZIFA and the Sports Commission were beginning to move towards finding each other, Mamutse’s lawyers Nyikadzino, Simango and Associates on Tuesday wrote to the SRC advising them that their client had turned down his reinstatement.
Mamutse, who is a strong ally of Kamambo and suspended board member finance Philemon Machana, cited conditions which had not been met for the lifting of his suspension.
“We write this minute at the instance of our client Mr Joseph Mamutse, please note our professional interest.
“We have been advised that on 24 May 2022 you wrote our client a letter indicating that his long suspension had been uplifted with immediate effect.
“The above mentioned letter also gave reference to a letter which was written to our client by the Chairman of Sports and Recreation Commission which letter was not attached on the letter of 24 May 2022 despite the fact that same contains conditions of upliftment of suspension.
“Our client demanded the chairman’s letter, however, same has not been given to him to date. In the light of the above, we advise that our client’s position is that the conditions as set out by FIFA, for an unconditional upliftment of the suspensions have not been met, hence our client will not report for duty.
“It is very clear from the contents of your letter dated 24 May 2022 that you have not unconditionally uplifted the suspension. Moreso, it is shocking that the letter by Mr Mlotshwa, the Sports and Recreation Commission chairman, has remained a private property for the Sports and Recreation Commission despite several request by our client.
“We therefore demand that you meet all FIFA conditions for the upliftment of the suspension. Your cooperation will be greatly appreciated,” said the letter signed by Simon Simango, of Nyikadzino, Simango and Associates.
Mamutse was suspended by the Sports Commission in November 2020, in terms of Section 30 of the SRC Act and related legislation particularly that targeted at Covid -19 prevention. In exactly a year, the axe also fell on the Kamambo-led board.
FIFA ruled that there was “third party interference” and responded by suspending ZIFA’s membership. The world football governing body instructed FIFA to reinstate Mamutse and the suspended board as part of the conditions for Zimbabwe’s return to the international football family.
However, there have been changes to the ZIFA board, with Kamambo, Machana and Bryton Malandule having been booted out at the special extraordinary general meeting called by ZIFA councilors.
It has also emerged that some current and past ZIFA administrators are running scared of the forensic audit that is gathering momentum and whose findings the Sports Commission have said would be made public.
Online Reporter