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Sikhumbuzo Moyo, Senior Sports Reporter
The Fifa Ethics Committee has transferred the Zimbabwe female referees’ sexual harassment case to their Caf counterparts who have the jurisdiction to investigate such matters.
If, however within three months from the day the case was transferred, Caf would not have done anything, Fifa will take over investigations in line with the Fifa Code of Ethics article 30.
Some members of the Zifa Referees Committee as well as the Zifa executive committee were late last year accused of sexual harassment of female referees whom they would promise more game time as well as a quick rise within the profession.
Despite the widespread media reports, little or nothing was done by the executive committee with the association inviting the affected ladies to file reports with the secretariat instead of actually referring the matter to the independent Zifa Ethics Committee. In an email to Chronicle Sport, Fifa Chief Social Responsibility and Education officer Joyce Cook, said the matter was now in the hands of Caf who should carry out the necessary investigations.
“The FIFA Ethics Committee analyzed the allegations and transferred the case to CAF, as it did not have the competence (jurisdiction) to investigate and judge such conducts. However, the FIFA Ethics Committee shall be entitled to investigate and judge the case when said conduct has not been investigated and judged, and/or cannot be expected to be investigated and judged, by the relevant judicial bodies of the association or confederation concerned, within three months as from when the matter became known to the Ethics Committee, in accordance with Article 30 FCE,” said Cook.
As per previous correspondents with Chronicle Sport, all the accused persons and those deemed to be complicity to the execution of the crime by choosing not to report the matter upon being informed, will now be formally asked by Caf to step aside from their normal duties for investigations to be carried out.
If it is proven beyond reasonable doubt that any of the executive committee members or ZRC were made aware of the harassment but chose to do nothing about it, they too shall be sent on suspension for the smooth running of investigations.
While the entire Zifa executive committee is already under suspension on various allegations including sexually harassing female referees, those suspensions await to be endorsed by both Caf and Fifa but may actually now receive an endorsement from the two bodies in order for investigations to be carried out.
The accused persons stand in violation of Article 25 of the Fifa Code of Ethics.
Online Reporter