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ACCORDING to the Fifa website, the world football governing body has a clear vision: to keep football free of doping.
It is Fifa’s duty to protect players from harm and ensure that footballers can compete on an even playing field. Since Fifa is dealing with ambitious and independent individuals, its anti-doping strategy relies on education and prevention. Fifa respects the dignity and private life of each player who is subject to testing.
Fifa bases any decisions related to their anti-doping programme on the specifics of the game, scientific evidence and analysis of validated doping statistics. Fifa’s responsibility in the fight against doping is acknowledged by stringent doping control regulations, ongoing data collection and support of evidence-based research. Fifa is a reliable partner of the World Anti-Doping Agency (Wada) in the much-needed worldwide collaboration to safeguard the health of athletes and the spirit of fair competition.
Fifa also notes that football as a team sport has the highest athlete numbers of all sports, making effectiveness and efficiency of testing plans a condition difficult.
In view of numbers of players, schedule and positive tests, individual testing in football is inefficient and ineffective, the organisation says. Random no-advance notice team testing of elite teams at any time has more of a deterrent effect. At lower levels, education and prevention need to be the main strategic tools in football.
While doping is common in world athletics and in some cases in football at a higher level, it is rare to have such stories in the country, mostly because the sport is not as competitive as it is in developed countries and because the sport is not as paying as it does in Europe.
However, football lovers in the country found themselves engrossed in the doping story this week after it emerged that Dynamos midfielder Devon Chafa failed a Fifa doping test when the association carried a random test in the match between the Warriors and Egypt in June. What was interesting about the whole issue was that those who removed the lid on the issue, inside or outside the country, were under the impression that the midfielder had been suspended from playing by Fifa and thus, the Warriors were going to be disqualified from the Chan finals and Zambia would then go through, since the player had featured for the Warriors.
While there is a case against Chafa, one is compelled to think that the coincidence of the breaking of the story and the qualification of the team for the continental competition was just mischievous, so to speak.
The 22-year-old midfielder has been having a good run for both club and country, and that explains why he was a target of the anti-doping team because they would not just go and test a player who is sitting on the bench, no, they go for the cream of the team.
Since the beginning of the season, Chafa has been one of the top players in the Premiership, perhaps in the same class with leading scorer Tendai Ndoro of Chicken Inn and Highlanders’ Milton Ncube.
There is no doubt that he is a talented player with so much to offer to the nation and his club, and what has been encouraging all week long was the kind of support coming from Zifa, his club and fans alike. After all, he is our boy and should be supported all the way and if Fifa, at the end of their investigations, conclude that he took the illegal substance on purpose, then he will have to face the music, but for now, he deserves the nation’s prayers.
Zifa CEO Jonathan Mashingaidze said Fifa had inquired about the substance found in Chafa’s urine sample and Warriors doctor Nicholas Munyonga had written back to them explaining why Chafa had taken the substance.
The prohibited substance found in the player’s sample is prednisolone and falls in the Class S9 (glucocorticoid steroids) of the Prohibited List Applicable regulation, making the Dynamos star the first Zimbabwean player to be caught off side in that regard.
Dynamos chairman Kenny Mubaiwa said the club was supporting Chafa and will continue using him unless we get a directive from Fifa or Zifa to withdraw him.
“As a club we stand firmly behind Devon and he is assured of our unwavering support during this time. We do not suspect he could have used any substance to enhance his performance or any other subversive use.
“He is a disciplined young man whose contribution to football has not only immensely benefited Dynamos but the national team. We expect him to feature in the BancABC Cup match this weekend.”
The player tested positive for prednisolone, which falls under Glucocorticoid steroids which is listed as banned substances by Fifa as they enhance performance.
In addition, Warriors coach Ian Gorowa has included Chafa in his squad to face Mozambique in a dead rubber 2014 World Cup match on Sunday next week.
Reports were that the player’s family doctor indicated that the medication was part of treatment he was receiving after dislocating a jaw.
While the player has received support across the country, it is also prudent that Zifa takes a leaf from Fifa and enlighten players on banned substances so that they are not caught on the wrong side of the law.
Who knows, there could be many athletes out there getting similar medication and all that would come out in the open when they participate in international events, thereby attracting a lot of attention and embarrassing the nation.
Zifa does not have the capacity to conduct random tests locally, but it does its part by educating the players on the issue.
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Online Reporter