Chronicle Editor
Nkosilathi Sibanda, [email protected]
NOMSA “Boyz” Moyo looks back at her career as a football player, the memory combs a web of the good, the bad and the ugly. She passed with flying colours in every game she played and after retiring as a player, she decided to become a coach and a mentor.
Leading the Mighty Warriors as captain helped shape her strong character, reinforcing her belief that football offers numerous opportunities.
As she compares her time as a player and how the game has evolved over the years, Moyo’s heart bleeds. There is still no sound sponsorship.
Money is talked of in hushed tones in the corridors of women’s football.
The Zimbabwe Women Football’s begging bowl has passed many hands and met a few takers. Moyo and the rest of the players who carved their names playing women’s football, have seen no changes at all since 1988 when the sport took off.
What pains her heart is that, years down the line, female footballers play for nothing. They are not paid. The sight of smiles and celebrations when the girls score or when they do their war cries, is a stark contrast of the ugly side. Moyo is not the only one concerned.
Football administrators also speak with heavy hearts. Their response on the status of women’s football is first met with a sigh, one of near despair.
In the joy that has come about in empowering the girl child to play football, there is a deep concern on the players’ welfare.
The overall call is that player welfare has to be addressed fast.
Moyo pleads for mileage and improvement of players’ welfare. “We need to increase visibility of our programmes and media coverage for women’s football. I believe this will raise awareness, attract sponsors and generate fans’ interest. Another aspect that we continue to identify as a propeller to grow women’s football is to avail opportunities to players and all who are involved in the day-to-day running of the game.
“There is a need to promote professionalism through expanding professional opportunities for women footballers. Our players have to be exposed to clubs elsewhere. If we are to be serious about being professional we have to create contracts and improve players’ welfare including healthcare and compensation over quality and sustainability of women football, for example, better salaries or wages.
“Women football players should be given wages that can sustain their own needs and family. It’s impossible to be a complete player without a healthy and balanced lifestyle,” said the all-time Mighty Warriors legend. Moyo took a dig at the conduct of some players, which she said was a hindrance to their turning professional.
“At times being a football player, whether for a woman or man, comes with a lot of pressure. There are players who quickly take to the bottle and drink their talents away. That also includes abusing drugs and chasing the lifestyle celebrity. That causes an inability to handle pressure.”
Seeing players going home, after a match, unpaid, hungry and tired has been a big worry for veteran administrator, Susan Chibizhe.
Chibizhe was there when women’s football gained momentum in the late 1990s. She said there has to be equal representation at positions of influence, if problems bedevilling women footballers are to be taken seriously.
“If women’s football representatives are given a chance to sit in the Zifa board, it will be better. There is no equal representation or influence at the higher level. If such persists, there is no way we can say women’s football can grow. We have to copy what other countries, who are successful are doing.
“The other issue that needs to highlighted is the composition of the Normalisation Committee. We need football people. It is pleasing that there is Rosemary Mugadza who has a passion for women’s football. It is our hope that our concerns will be addressed. Let there be a quota system, like what happens in other sport leadership structures,” said Chibizhe.
Football administrator and staunch women’s sports rights advocate, who helped Highlanders to the national league, Samukeliso Silengane said female footballers bore the brunt of playing for nothing in the wake of a system that purports to support football development.
“I will talk of the issue of remuneration. Most players are not getting anything. Those that get paid, the money is little. It is a sad reality that with all the positive work done to develop women’s football, the key stakeholder that is players, have nothing to show for their brilliance and dedication to play. Something just has to give. We need to be pro-active and change the status of our players for the better.
“If resources are availed, let us push that women get equal support. In order for people to see how serious we are in developing women’s football, there has to be enough media coverage and that can attract the much needed sponsorship,” said Silengane.
Asked on what needs to be done on the matter, Young Flying Stars Sports Academy director Collen Nyambiya said: “Ladies’ football needs a lot of hard work because there is no funding. There are a few people fully committed to support women’s football financially. The last time we witnessed support for women was when there was Rosemary Mugadza, Nomsa Moyo and other players. We were supposed to carry on from there but nothing was done.
“There’s a lack of junior structures and even a policy to that effect. We must have a junior league for the girls. If it is difficult, I suggest we integrate the girls into the boys’ teams and compete so that we catch them young. Everything starts from development because if there is no development, there is no growth.”
“Women in football are always overlooked, especially on the issue of salaries and allowances. In tournaments, there is lesser money put for girls and more on the boys. I feel that is unfair because a child is a child and all play the same game,” he said.
Despite being almost close to 40 years old in Zimbabwe only a few fans are prepared to pay and watch the women’s game.
Perhaps the challenge is on those involved to work hard and brand it. – @NkosieLegend
Online Reporter