Zifa refs’ association illegal

by Fifa that require all member associations to have a referees committee only.
Zifa had until recently also been in contravention of a Fifa directive to set up a referees department by April 1 last year but their chief executive Jonathan Mashingaidze said yesterday that they have moved in to avoid drawing the ire of the world body by appointing Obert Mamvura as the referees’ manager based at the secretariat.
But the association still risks Fifa sanctions for entertaining the ZSRA in a move that is also in violation of the local soccer mother body’s constitution which outlawed the existence of an association within the association.
It is the worrying set up in the local referees’ organisation where there are literally two parallel bodies — the Zifa Referees Committee and the ZSRA — which have not gone done well with Fifa amid revelations that the match officials have also been left confused and divided on who to pay allegiance to.
Fifa referees development officer for East and Southern Africa Carlos Henriques confirmed that the world soccer body were not amused by the existence of a Soccer Referees Association and wanted Zifa to regularise their operations by remaining with a referees committee that would work with the referees department at secretariat level.
The ZSRA which has been deemed illegitimate is headed by chairman Ngoni Boyd and includes his deputy Andrew Pamire with Batsirai Muchenje as secretary and treasurer Pascal Zata.
“So the so-called referees association must be dismantled. We understand that Zifa have had a number of challenges and that is why we have been a bit lenient with them but they must follow the regulations,’ Henriques said.
According to the regulations on the organisation of referees in Fifa member associations, which were promulgated by the world body in Zurich on March 19 2010 and became binding on April 1 last year, Zifa are expected to have only one referees committee overseeing all matters related to the match officials.
The regulations state that:
Each member association is obliged to establish a referees committee which is directly subordinate to the member association based on art.13 par.1 (e) of the Fifa statutes
The referees committee must be an integral part of the member association’s structure. Refereeing organisation, regulations and development must come under the exclusive control of the member association and under no circumstances may it fall under the supervision or control of other bodies, such as the leagues, unions or government (including parliaments and any other state authorities)
The referees committee shall be composed of a chairman, a deputy chairman and members deemed necessary to discharge its duties. Its members may not be affiliated to any clubs, leagues or any football organisation.
The executive committee (Zifa board) shall appoint one of its members as chairman of the referees committee.
The deputy chairman and members of the referees’ committee shall be appointed by the president of the member association at the proposal of the chairman of the referees committee,’’ reads part of the regulations.
The regulations also define the duties of the referees committee, the refereeing department and its composition.
“The duties of the referees committee are defined by the executive committee of the member association in terms of reference containing primarily the following rights and duties:
To classify the referees in each category on the basis of their performance in selected matches and proposed promotions or demotions.  To appoint referees to matches in competitions organised by the member association or for any other tournaments, whenever requested to do so
To nominate candidates for the international list that are eligible to officiate at international matches according to Fifa regulations governing the registration of international referees, assistant referees, futsal referees and beach soccer referees on Fifa’s lists.
To comply with standard refereeing methods as established by Fifa to ensure uniform implementation of the laws of the game
To utilise uniform criteria for the assessment of referees as established by Fifa
To approve the referee instructor and assessor panels  To approve administrative regulations governing refereeing’’.
The regulations also state that each member association through its relevant body will establish a service fee, including daily allowances and travelling expenses to be paid to the referees for every match.
Meanwhile, Harare referee Ruzive Ruzive was among the three best students at the end of a weeklong Fifa Elite referees course which ended at Prince Edward yesterday.
Ruzive received a trophy from Henriques for being the best student in the anayliss of the contentious offside rule.
The other top referees from the course which attracted 34 participants were Thabani Bamala and Salani Ncube (match analysis).
Fifa also gave a major boost to the development of local referees when Henriques donated a brand new laptop and a projector to be used by such instructors like Wilfred Mukuna, Brighton Mudzamiri and Gladmore Muzambi when they conduct domestic courses.