Online Reporter
Zimpapers Sports Hub
THE Sports and Recreation Commission have rubber-stamped the bans inflicted on the duo of Zimbabwe Rugby union president Losson Mtongwiza, and Women’s chairperson, Regina Mwanandiwa, effectively putting an end to one of the sport’s uglier chapters.
In statement released by the national sport’s regulatory body yesterday, Mtongwiza and Mwanadiwa are set to serve their four-year bans from all rugby related activities.
“The Sports and Recreation Commission (SRC) have taken note of the outcomes (convictions) of the disciplinary processes instituted by the Zimbabwe Rugby union (ZRU) against its former president, Losson Mtongwiza, and the former Women’s chairperson, Regina Mwanandiwa,” read the statement.
“The institution of disciplinary processes represents a significant step in ZRU’s journey towards accountability, institutional integrity, and the restoration of proper governance standards.
“The SRC welcomes the outcomes in these matters, which arise from serious findings of abuse of office, financial mismanagement, breach of corporate governance, and conduct undermining the dignity of athletes.
Mtongwiza and Mwanandiwa’s case emanates from the Zimbabwe Lady Sables’ ill-fated trip to Cote d’Ivoire for the Rugby Women Africa Division Cup back in 2025.
The duo were duly suspended after their mishandling of the trip and Zimbabwe senior women’s rugby team, opening a can of worms.
A ZRU judiciary committee then found Mtongwiza guilty and effected a four-year ban for abuse of office and violation of the ZRU Constitution, financial mismanagement and breach of good corporate governance.
Mwanandiwa was also found guilty of abuse of office, including failing to protect the integrity of the Lady Sables players by demanding the return of sponsored kit and threatening to withhold allowances.
Among her other charges were financial mismanagement, including lack of transparency in the handling of tour funds and unilateral management of finances without involving the Women’s Committee accountant or secretary general.
She was also charged and found guilty of bringing the ZRU into disrepute through failure to uphold financial transparency and mishandling of player allowances.
“The SRC’s intervention at ZRU was not undertaken lightly but was necessitated by a failure of governance that had placed the association on a trajectory toward institutional collapse,” added the SRC.
“The disciplinary outcomes now delivered, and the structural reforms underway, as championed by the Interim Management Committee (IMC) vindicate that decisive intervention was necessary and accountability is not optional.
“It is the foundation upon which sustainable sport is built.
The SRC also noted that they will receive updated reports from the ZRU Interim Management Committee and take note of significant progress being made to improve the overall governance systems at the union while enhancing the preparations for the 2027 World Rugby Cup.
“The SRC are mandated to ensure the proper administration of organisations undertaking sport and recreation activities in Zimbabwe, and are further authorized to perform any such other acts as may be necessary to ensure the good governance, development and integrity is maintained within the sport and recreation sector.
“The SRC’s position on misgovernance and corruption in sport remains unequivocal – there is no place in Zimbabwean sport for leaders who place self-interest above the welfare of athletes, who treat public funds with impunity, who undermine the dignity of those they are entrusted to serve, or who operate outside the constitutional frameworks designed to protect the integrity of our sporting institutions.
“The SRC will therefore further analyse the outcomes with a view to institute further measures as may be appropriate in line with the provisions of the Sports and Recreation Commission Act’’.
