Online Reporter
Innocent Kurira Zimpapers Sports Hub
THE Zimbabwe Football Association (ZIFA) has moved to clarify growing public debate surrounding the exclusion of Marshall Munetsi from the Warriors’ Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) squad, outlining the medical and regulatory factors that informed the decision in compliance with CAF and FIFA frameworks.
According to the football governing body, the decision was guided strictly by medical, procedural and regulatory considerations in line with CAF regulations and the FIFA Club Protection Programme.
ZIFA emphasised that player welfare remained the overriding priority throughout the process. The organisation confirmed that it maintained continuous and fully documented communication with Munetsi’s club regarding his medical condition and availability for international duty.
At the same time, the Warriors’ Head Coach kept direct contact with the player, ensuring transparency and coordination across technical, medical and administrative structures. Medical information provided by the club indicated that Munetsi was managing an injury at the time squad decisions were finalised, placing his participation outside automatic insurance coverage unless specific conditions were met.
Despite Munetsi’s willingness to represent Zimbabwe, ZIFA explained that the mandatory written consent and liability waiver from his club were not received before the CAF squad submission deadline.
Without these documents, the association said it could not lawfully include the player without exposing all parties to uninsured risk. As stated in the release, “ZIFA could not lawfully, responsibly, or ethically include Marshall Munetsi in the final squad.”
