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Bruce Chikuni
Sports Reporter
THE owners of Heart Stadium have told ZIFA boss Lincoln Mutasa: YOU’RE A LIAR.
They have also given Mutasa an ultimatum to withdraw his statement, in which he condemned the Heart Stadium for, among other things, not having suitable toilets, or face a US$100 000 lawsuit.
The stadium is owned by the Heart Group, which is led by Prophet Magaya.
The prophet also owns Premiership side Yadah FC.
Mutasa and his fellow ZIFA leaders did not attend the official opening of the Heart Stadium in December last year.
The Heart Stadium owners say their facility, whose first phase has been completed, is the best football stadium in the country.
Magaya and his team at the Heart Group say Mutasa was wrong to give an impression that ZIFA have inspected the Heart Stadium when this was not done.
ZIFA had released a press statement claiming that the stadium was not suitable to host international matches due to the absence of a media tribune and subpar ablution facilities.
But the owners of the stadium have hit back.
“Our client was shocked that you claim to have conducted preliminary inspections of the Heart Stadium regarding its suitability to host Ngezi Platinum Stars and Dynamos Football Clubs’ preliminary CAF Competitions Fixtures,” the lawyers, Admire Rubaya and Everson Chatambudza, wrote in a scathing letter to ZIFA.
“It is very unprofessional for you to communicate falsehoods to the nation in the absence of a physical inspection.
“Our client instructs that it never received any formal request from ZIFA regarding the alleged preliminary inspection.
“Furthermore, it challenges you to provide the nation with that request as well as the invitation and/or confirmation from the Heart Stadium administration authorising you to visit his state-of-the-art stadium for the preliminary inspections.”
The lawyers accused ZIFA of trying to destroy the reputation of the stadium and its owners.
“It is our client’s contention that you have an insatiable appetite to destroy our client’s reputation in circumstances where your role is to administer Zimbabwean football to be world-class,” they wrote.
Mutasa admitted before the Parliamentary Portfolio Committee on Sports recently that he has not gone to watch any local Premiership games since he took over as ZIFA boss.
The Heart Stadium had a chance to be given clearance, especially for the CAF inter-club competitions, had ZIFA fought in its corner.
CAF had also banned Bingu National Stadium, which is going to be used by Kalisto Pasuwa’s Nyasa Big Bullets in the CAF Champions League.
But, the stadium was given clearance after the Malawi Football Association fought in its corner.
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