adminSikhumbuzo Moyo Senior Sports Reporter
CASH-strapped Zifa has been billed $42,000 and expects a similar bill as a result of the national broadcaster ZBC’s failure to broadcast live Zimbabwe’s home Africa Cup of Nations qualifying matches against Guinea and Swaziland. The Guinea match was played in September last year and broadcast by giant South African pay-per-view station SuperSport after Caf experts condemned ZBC’s equipment as archaic.
The Warriors’ Easter Monday encounter against Swaziland was again broadcast by SuperSport, resulting in the national association facing a $38,000 bill.
Phillemon Machana, the Zifa board member for finance, confirmed that the association was billed $42,000 after the Guinea match and they were resigned to the imminent arrival of another huge bill from the Swaziland match, which grossed $129,669.76.
As part of the Caf media rights deal, which the continental body signed with a French company Lagardere Sports in 2010, national associations have to engage media partners to broadcast live all matches held under the jurisdiction of Caf.
The previous Zifa executive committee led by Cuthbert Dube contracted ZBC, who indicated that they had the capacity to beam the matches.
“When Caf experts then came to inspect the ZBC equipment, they realised that it didn’t meet their expectations, but the game had to be screened live as per Caf’s agreement with the French company, so Supersport, which has a proven track record, was quickly engaged and asked to take over,” said Machana.
After the match, the South African broadcaster then sent a bill to Caf, who in turn forwarded it to Zifa.
“Caf punished us for failing to engage a media partner. For the Swaziland match, Caf asked ZBC in advance if they had finally secured the right equipment and ZBC said no and again SuperSport had to come in. We understand SuperSport has since sent a $38,000 bill to Caf, but we’re not sure whether they (Caf) will send it to us as it is or they’ll up it,” said Machana.
To avoid being further billed in future, Zifa have begun the process of engaging a foreign media partner ahead of the June 5 encounter against Malawi.
“It’s always good to empower our own organisations, but we’re left with no option on this particular case but to engage a foreign company otherwise we’ll continue losing thousands of dollars in fines,” said Machana.
Online Reporter