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THE ZIFA board meets in Harare today where they are expected to confirm, and even increase the cocktail of sanctions, which were meted out by FIFA on disgraced former referees chief Obert Zhoya.
The GMB senior manager was handed a five-year ban, from all football-related activities, and handed a US$20 000 fine, by FIFA.
He was sanctioned last week for sexually harassing three local female football referees in a scandal, which the local football leaders, were accused of ignoring despite the pleas of the victims.
The Sports and Recreation Commission have already come out to say they welcome Zhoya’s ban from all football-related activities but now want others, who have also been fingered, to be punished.
They also want those who turned a blind eye to the case, including ZIFA secretary-general, Joseph Mamutse, despite being bombarded with appeals from the referees, to be punished for complicity.
It has also been claimed by sources that some charge sheets were prepared for Zhoya, and others, to appear before a disciplinary committee but this was simply shelved in Mamutse’s office.
Others claim that Zhoya, and his colleagues, issued threats that in the event they were kicked out of the game, through the ZIFA disciplinary channels, they would hit back and expose other cases committed by those who wanted to throw them under the bus.
ZIFA acting president, Gift Banda, said his board will discuss the case at their meeting in Harare today.
“We have tabled the case for discussion at our board meeting and this will give us an opportunity to decide how we will proceed, given the recent developments,” said Banda.
“As a board, we have to make it very clear that we have zero tolerance to a culture where women are treated as some sort of slaves and serve according to the interests of some men who think they are very powerful.
“FIFA have made a determination on the case and we hope that this has sent a clear signal, to all those who think they can abuse women, that this will not be tolerated in today’s world and today’s football.
“As a board, we can flex our own muscles and decide what should happen to anyone found guilty by FIFA and we can come up with our cocktail of sanctions or we can just adopt what our leaders in Zurich have come up with.”
In March, this year, the Zimbabwe Gender Commission launched investigations into alleged sexual harassment, sexual abuse and exploitation of women in the Zimbabwe football sector.
ZGC chairperson, Commissioner Margaret Sangarwe-Mukahanana, said sports lovers, football stakeholders and Zimbabweans from all walks of life had been deeply disturbed by allegations of prevalent sexual harassment, sexual abuse and exploitation of women in football.
“From the onset, we would want to extol these brave women for opening up on these issues regardless of the stigmatisation and intimidation which usually ensues when such allegations come to the fore,” she said.
“The complaints indicate the prevalence of endemic discrimination and dehumanisation of women within the football refereeing and the entire football sector as emanating from the fact that for years, the sector has been an enclave of men with limited participation of women.
“The facts indicate the prevalence of gender rights violations like sexual abuse, sexual harassment, sexual exploitation and extortion in form of sex for selection, such conduct hinders female participation and performance in sports.
“As a constitutional body mandated to ensure compliance with gender equality values within all the spheres of socio-economic activity, we take these allegations seriously. Full achievement of gender equality should involve full participation of women at parity with men within the sporting sector.”
Mathew Masinge
Online Reporter