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Sports Reporter
THE ZIFA Normalisation Committee have appointed former FIFA panel referee Norman Matemera as the chairman of the association’s new Referees Committee.
Matemera, who was the 2028 Referee of the Year, will be deputised by Faith Sibanda, with respected referees Stella Ruvinga, Kuda Rusina and Tendai Bwanya completing the team.
Normalisation Committee chairman Lincoln Mutasa said the five-member committee is expected to begin work next Tuesday.
Matemera replaces former ZIFA board member Barbra Chikosi, who led a committee that was appointed in July last year and led by Barbra Chikosi with multiple-award winning referee Ruzive Ruzive being the deputy chairperson.
FIFA certified instructor Sabelo Maphosa and former FIFA referees Makonese Masakadza and Wilfred Mukuna were also part of the committee.
“On behalf of the FIFA Normalization Committee, we would like to thank the outgoing committee for their efforts throughout their tenure,” said Mutasa in a statement last night.
Matemera made headlines in 2018 when he rejected a US$10 000 bribe from Equatorial Guinea’s Desportivo Niefang to fix the CAF Confederation Cup return match against Cote d’Ivoire’s Williamsville Athletic Club.
The bribery attempt occurred on the eve of the game as officials of the home side, working in collaboration with Togolese match Commissioner Lawson Mahuwe as their emissary, tried to offer Matemera and his assistants Brighton Nyika, Salina Ncube and Philani Ncube a cash bribe.
The intention was to influence the officials to aid Neifang to overturn a 2-0 first leg deficit and help them advance to the lucrative group stage of the second-tier Africa interclub championships.
Despite winning the match in Bata, Equatorial Guinea 2-1, Niefang bowed out on 2-3 aggregate to the visitors.
Matemera and his compatriots were commended for turning down the tempting offer and instead reported the incident to the authorities at CAF.
His bold action was hailed by then Zimbabwe Referees Committee vice-chairman, Gladmore Muzambi.
Matemera, who is a Police Officer in the Ministry of Home affairs, was also rewarded by the force for upholding ethics.
Online Reporter