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Petros Kausiyo Deputy Sports Editor
RODWELL Dhlakama has become the latest individual to be freed from his ban by ZIFA for his alleged role in the Asiagate match-fixing scam, paving the way for the former Zimbabwe Under-17 and Monomotapa coach to resume his career on the domestic front.
Dhlakama was banished by the ZIFA Board on October 18, 2012 following a report compiled by the Association’s ad-hoc committee on the Asiagate saga that was headed by retired Supreme Court judge Justice Ahmed Ebrahim.
He was one of 16 individuals, including former Warriors players — Method Mwanjali, Thomas Sweswe, Guthrie Zhokinyi and Edmore Sibanda — to be banned for life from all football activities on the domestic scene.
That list also had former Warriors coach Sunday Chidzambwa, ex-Motor Action goalkeepers’ coach Emmanuel Nyahuma, former ZIFA chief executive Henrietta Rushwaya and Jonathan Musavengana, who was the association’s programmes officer.
Chidzambwa, Sibanda, Phiri and Zhokinyi have since been cleared and resumed their involvement in football.
Yesterday it was Dhlakama’s turn to have his name cleared to revive a coaching career that had seen him win accolades with the national Under-17, Under-20, Monoz and in Swaziland where he had a brief stint.
ZIFA chief executive Jonathan Mashingaidze announced the lifting of the ban in a brief letter to Dhlakama and indicated that the association had reached the decision following recommendations by a prosecution team, which is a sub-committee of their disciplinary committee.
“The Zimbabwe Football Association hereby clears you to resume your career pursuant to the ZIFA disciplinary committee’s Prosecution team’s recommendations.
“The association wishes you the best in your career,’’ reads Mashingaidze’s letter.
Dhlakama appeared before the prosecution team last week together with fitness trainer Thompson “Rubberman’’ Matenda, former Warriors skipper Mwanjali, Sweswe and Nyahuma.
There were strong indications last night that the same recommendations to clear the former Monoz coach had been made for Mwanjali and his ex-senior team centre-back partner Sweswe as well as Matenda and Nyahuma.
But, for Dhlakama, who had his work permit revoked in Swaziland over the match-fixing allegations, the move to have him cleared comes as a huge relief.
The former Kiglon and Shooting Stars coach yesterday spoke of his relief at being cleared of the Asiagate allegations during Monomutapa’s 2009 Champions League campaign in which the now defunct club reached the group stage on their maiden dance with Africa’s biggest club knock-out competition.
“I don’t have much to say except that I am happy and relieved with this decision,” said Dhlakama.
“So much water has gone under the bridge and it is a noble idea to move on and forget the past. A lot was taken away from me during this period and I was frozen . . . it was like I was a dead man, but I have worked very hard to be where I am.
“I have no hard feelings and am ready to start afresh. I feel much compelled and duty bound that I must assist my country in whichever way with regards to football development.
‘I have an obligation as a coach to give a helping hand at club and national level. I was frozen, yes, but that is one issue that was beyond my control and I can’t have hard feelings since it was a system that was put in place to see through the development,’’ Dhlakama said.
Dhlakama, credited with identifying and helping nurture a number of players in Zimbabwe, also chronicled the journey he has travelled in his career and declared he was ready to continue with the development projects.
“I worked for various clubs, some even under hostile environment, but still I had no problems. I worked for my country in various national teams from Under-17 to Under-20 and Under-23 that I still feel I have unfinished business’’.
Dhlakama also maintained that although he had been frozen out from the mainstream football because of the life ban, he had never given up hope that the decision would be rescinded on appeal and he used his time on the sidelines to continue monitoring the national teams, Premiership, lower divisions and schools games.
“I followed football closely, monitoring most of what was happening. I always thought that one day it would be all fine because God answers prayers.
“I monitored the development of the players I helped at junior level, who include Knowledge Musona, Khama Billiat, George Chigova, Mathew Rusike, Achford Gutu, Cuthbert Malajila, Eric Chipeta and Denver Mukamba,.
“I also helped Wisdom Mutasa and Ronald Pfumbidzai, who are currently in camp with the national team and I am satisfied with my contribution. But being banned from 2012 was like a lifetime and I wish to thank the panel which saw it fit and sensible to bring me back to the fold.”
“Although I am a professional in education, football has been my life and I have been itching to come back. The pressure that goes with it makes me feel a better and stronger person. I suffered, yes, but I also had time to relax, reflect and recharge my batteries because life goes on,’’ Dhlakama said.
ZIFA have been under pressure to bring to finality the Asiagate saga and the association’s lawyer Ralph Maganga insists that they are looking to close the chapter this year.
Maganga had indicated that they were targeting to finish by the end of June, but limited resources have seen the cases of many personalities affected by the Asiagate bans being dealt with at a pedestrian pace.
Online Reporter