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that he masqueraded as the Warriors coach and captain and voted for the World Player of Year award after exhibits were presented during the Zifa board meeting in Harare on Wednesday evening.
Sources in the board said the issue was discussed extensively as the board members wanted to get to the root of the matter and find out who exactly voted in the Zimbabwean camp.
Former Warriors coach Rahman Gumbo denied ever taking part although his name appeared on the Fifa list of those that voted while Matongorere’s name appeared on the slot reserved for the Warriors captain in place of incumbent skipper Tapuwa Kapini or his deputy former AmaZulu strongman, Esrom Nyandoro.
“The ballot papers which were produced had Matongorere’s signature and the handwriting on the filled spaces resembled his.
“If investigations prove that indeed, it was him who voted then he should face the music,” said the source before referring further questions to the Zifa head of secretariat, Jonathan Mashingaidze.
Mashingaidze confirmed that the issue was discussed and it was agreed that a full scale investigation be instituted.
“I can confirm to you that we have already seriously instituted investigations to try and unearth the source of this national and indeed international embarrassment,” said Mashingaidze.
In a statement last night, Zifa said the report on the investigation should be produced before the end of this month.
According to the list of the voting panel, Gumbo is said to have voted for Andres Iniesta for the top prize, Lionel Messi and Manchester United’s Robin van Persie as the runners up respectively.
For the coach of the year Gumbo allegedly had Spain’s Vicente del Bosque as his first choice, former Barcelona coach Pep Guardiola as the first runner up and Borussia Dortmund’s Jürgen Norbert “Kloppo” Klopp was his third choice.
However, the former Warriors gaffer denied that he voted and said even the shape and colour of the ballot paper is alien to him.
Gumbo yesterday said while welcoming the investigation, he would demand an apology from whoever voted masquerading as him and described it as fraud.
“I will not let it lie like that, whoever did it should and must apologise to me in person,” said the former Warriors coach who resigned after the Warriors failed to qualify for the Nations Cup finals that roar into life in South Africa tomorrow.
The Fifa Ballon d’Or controversy is the latest scandal to rock Zimbabwean football after the infamous Asiagate and the Centralgate whose investigations are yet to be concluded.
Online Reporter