Union pleads for Asiagate pardon

Paul Mundandi Zvishavane Sports Correspondent
THE Football Union of Zimbabwe has pleaded with Zifa to pardon all the players who were involved in the Asiagate scam for the good of the players and Zimbabwe as a whole.
“I am urging Zifa to lift the bans on players and enable them to practise their professions. As a union we are prepared to engage Zifa’s fears and concerns for union members who have mandated us to do so on their behalf,” said Paul Gundani, the secretary-general for FUZ.

“It was obvious that Dube (Cuthbert) was going to win as the affiliate’s elections results favoured him to the other gentlemen. We are now appealing to Zifa to help Guthrie (Zhokinyu) and Edmore (Sibanda). They have suffered enough and the best possible and logical way to close the chapter is to lift the bans. We also need to have a lasting solution to the Zifa fears and concerns”, he added.

Former Warriors captain Method Mwanjali, Thomas Sweswe and Danisa Phiri are the other players handed life bans.
Sadly Phiri did not travel to some of the matches he is alleged to have played in as there was a mix up with Chicken Inn’s Danny Deco Phiri.

A number of players, coaches and officials were suspended by Zifa. A total of 80 players was banned last year for the match-fixing scandal broken by Chronicle in 2007.

Zhokinyu and Sibanda were banned for life after the Retired Justice Ahmed Ebrahim led an independent Ethics Committee that investigated the dealings on friendly matches organised by Asian betting syndicates between 2007 and January 2010.

Jonathan Musavengana, a former programmes officer with Zifa, Henrietta Rushwaya, Godfrey Japajapa, Sunday Chidzambwa and Rodwell Dhlakama, Kudzi Shaba, Thompson Matenda were handed life bans.

The Asiagate saga which has been running for about four years has seen the Fifa Disciplinary Committee failing to endorse the sanctions imposed on the Zimbabwe players and officials quoting article 136 of the Fifa Disciplinary Code (FDC).

Meanwhile, the women’s NetOne Charity Shield tie between Inline Academy and Cyclone Stars has been moved to tomorrow at BG Sports Club.
The match had initially been set for this morning at Barbourfields Stadium (11AM).

National women’s soccer administrator Trust Kwembeya said the match was moved to tomorrow after Cyclone Stars failed to get funds for the trip on time.
Kwembeya said BG Sports Club had already been secured for the semi-final tie which promises to be a humdinger.