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Eddie Chikamhi
Senior Sports Reporter
THE Sports Commission have said the request by ZIFA for the conferment of hero status on the late David Mandigora was being treated with urgency.
Commission spokesperson, Elta Nengomasha, confirmed ZIFA had approached the authorities to push for the midfielder to be honoured.
Mandigora, who became the first Soccer Star of the Year in Independent Zimbabwe, in 1980, before embarking on an illustrious career with Dynamos and the Warriors, both as player and coach, died on Saturday morning, aged 64.
He had a long battle with peripheral vascular disease — a circulatory condition which narrows blood vessels, reducing blood flow to the limbs.
“We have received the letter from ZIFA and we can only recommend and pass the request to the relevant authorities,” said Nengomasha.
“We are treating this with the urgency it deserves and will update once we get the feedback.”
The football legend is set to be buried at Glen Forest this afternoon.
He has been described as a great servant of the game.
ZIFA spokesperson, Xolisani Gwesela, said they have written to the Sports Commission, to approach Government on their behalf, to honour Mandigora for his contributions to the development of the game.
The late midfielder was a key member of the pioneering Warriors side in the early days of Independence.
He also later had stints as assistant coach to Ammando Ferreira, Charles Mhlauri and Rahman Gumbo in the national team.
“The Zimbabwe Football Association has written to the Sports and Recreation Commission requesting Government to confer hero status on the late football legend David “Yogi” Mandigora,” said Gwesela.
“Mandigora had a huge impact on the face of local football, from the colonial days, when the sport was used to challenge colonial rule.
“It was fitting that he was crowned as the Soccer Star in 1980 when the country attained independence.”
He also paid tribute for his role in leading Dynamos to the semi-finals of the CAF Champions League, under trying circumstances, in 2008.
He had ended DeMbare’s 10-year championship drought the previous season.
“Yogi equally became a success story as a coach, leading his boyhood club Dynamos to league glory in 2007 and the Africa Champions League semi-finals, in 2008.
“He also played for the national team on various occasions and put the country on the football map.
“Mandigora’s transition from a devoted player, into a successful coach, epitomises the life story of a true hero for many young footballers and the generality of Zimbabweans.
“David served the sporting fraternity, and the nation at large, with distinction and it is our humble request that he be bestowed with the greatest honour of being declared a national hero.”
Mandigora had a successful career with Dynamos, winning seven league titles as a player.
However, he had one of his legs amputated in 2017, after he was diagnosed with the disease.
At the time of his death, he was due to lose the other leg, at the recommendations of the physicians, who had been treating him.
Premier Soccer League chairman, Farai Jere, said the domestic game had lost one of its icons.
“Words alone cannot describe what this really means to our football community because Yogi was one of our pillars,” said Jere.
“He was the soul of our game, as a player he played at the highest level, playing for his country with distinction, while as a coach, he was a real success story.
“As the PSL we join the whole country in mourning this giant of our game and we will be poorer without him.”
Dynamos chairman, Isaiah Mupfurutsa, said the history of the club would not complete, without mentioning his contributions.
“He is one of the greatest players ever produced in Zimbabwe and at Dynamos. He contributed a lot to football, both as a player and a coach.
“He is the first Soccer Star in Independent Zimbabwe.
“That is historic on its own and also he was part of the team that had lots of achievements in terms of accumulating the championships for Dynamos.
“The history of Dynamos is not complete without mentioning the achievements that came during his playing days.
“He also made history for Dynamos as a championship winning coach particularly after the club had spent almost 10 years without winning the league.”
Dynamos team manager, Richard Chihoro, credited the former midfielder for the revival of junior policy at the Glamour Boys, culminating in the success of 2007 and 2008.
“In 2005 we revived the Dynamos juniors project that had been abandoned. It was Yogi, myself, the late Freddy Mkwesha, the late Kenneth Jere and Elvis “Chuchu” Chiweshe.
“In 2006, Mandigora was called to coach the senior team and he invited me to be his assistant, along with David George.
“Together, we assembled a competitive team and in 2007 we lifted the league title.
“In 2008 we played Champions League and reached the semi-finals where we lost to Coton Sport in Cameroon,” said Chihoro.
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