Sundaymail Editor
SCOTTISH Premiership side Hamilton Academical have paid tribute to Zifa over the manner they handled the withdrawal of striker David Moyo from the Warriors squad ahead of Zimbabwe’s crucial Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers against Botswana and Zambia respectively.
Moyo had been called for the Warriors’ Group H assignments against Botswana in Francistown on March 25 and at home to Zambia at the National Sports Stadium four days later.
But the striker could not travel to Zimbabwe due coronavirus travelling restrictions.
Hamilton engaged both Moyo and Zifa on the issue, and all parties agreed the player should withdraw from the national team.
In a statement posted on their website, the Scottish side also explained that Moyo is still committed to play for Zimbabwe.
“David would have required to quarantine upon his arrival back into London, at his own expense, for 11 days which would have seen him miss a further two Accies games also.
“The club spoke at length with David, and we communicated with the Zimbabwe FA on the matter also . . .
“David wishes to reiterate his commitment and desire to play for his national team, and was entirely accepting of the situation, but was nevertheless regretful, that he would be unable to join the Zimbabwe squad for these two matches in the next fortnight.
“The club also thanks Zifa very much for their understanding of the situation, which is out of all our hands at the current moment.
“We wish Zimbabwe well for their qualifiers and express the hope that David will receive future call ups for his national team.”
Other players that have been affected by the travelling restrictions include Aston Villa midfielder Marvelous Nakamba, Tendayi Darikwa of Wigan, Wycombe Wanderers’ Admiral Muskwe and the France-based pair of Tinotenda Kadewere and Marshall Munetsi.
Zifa had left the window open for a possibility of midfield grafter Munetsi joining camp but all that was dashed when the French Ligue 1 also imposed stringent conditions that literally meant clubs could not release players to “red-listed” countries for international duty.
The Warriors are, however, not alone in this predicament as South Africa’s Bafana Bfana have also been dealt a similar blow.
Bafana Bafana look set to be without key midfielder Keagan Dolly for their vital Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers against Ghana and Sudan later this month after French clubs voted unanimously not to allow foreign players from outside the European Union to travel to their home countries.
Fifa have instituted a rule for European clubs that says they can withdraw players for international duty in this March window due to fears around the Covid-19 pandemic.
French clubs in Ligue 1 and Ligue 2 have decided as a bloc that they will enforce that ruling, a decision made easier for them by the postponement of World Cup qualifiers in South America.
“At the initiative of the presidents of the Ligue 1 and Ligue 2, a consultation was carried out on Wednesday, 17 March with all club presidents concerning players outside the France A team likely to participate in a match outside of France or the EU/EEA zone during the next international period in March,” a statement read.
“In the absence of an exemption for foreign international players made available to their national team and in view of the response times imposed by international regulations, the clubs of Ligue 1 Uber Eats and Ligue 2 BKT have decided unanimously this Wednesday, 17 March to apply the Fifa circular of 5 February, 2021, taking into account the many travel restrictions in the world.
“In this context, the clubs will not make available for selection the foreign players summoned for matches outside the EU/EEA zone during the next international period in March.”
It means Bafana Bafana will have to do without Dolly, who is at Ligue 1 club Montpellier, and is the only French-based player in the squad with Lebo Mothiba and Lebogang Phiri injured.
It will be a blow for national coach Molefi Ntseki to lose a senior player for two vital ties where Bafana will likely need four points to be sure of their qualification.
He will now be hoping that clubs in Portugal, England and Scotland do not follow suit, or he could be without the majority of his overseas contingent, including the likes of Bongani Zungu, Percy Tau and Luther Singh.
Ghana have defenders John Boye (Metz), Nicholas Opoku (Amiens) and Alexander Djiku (Strasbourg), as well as midfielder Emmanuel Lomotey (Amiens) in France. – Sports Reporter/Sport-24/superport.com
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