adminNgqwele Dube Sports Correspondent
ZIFA has urged football fans to shun violence as they make plans to mark 15 years since the country experienced its worst sporting disaster when 13 supporters died following a stampede during a match between South Africa and Zimbabwe at the National Sports Stadium in Harare on 9 July 2000. The football body said they would use the upcoming fixture pitting the two countries’ Ynder-23 teams in a Caf Championship qualifier next weekend to honour the victims with a minute of silence and also spread anti-violence messages.
Police fired teargas into the crowd during the 2002 World Cup qualifier between Zimbabwe and South Africa in an effort to contain crowd trouble when fans started throwing missiles onto the pitch after Bafana Bafana midfielder Delron Buckley scored his second goal to give the visitors a 2-0 lead with eight minutes remaining.
The stampede led to the abandonment of the game.
Zifa spokesperson Xolisani Gwesela underscored the importance of next weekend’s fixture and the need for fans to embrace fair play dictates by shunning acts of hooliganism at football events to curb a recurrence of stadia disasters.
“The Zimbabwe Football Association is dedicating the Under-23 Caf Championship qualifier against South Africa to 13 fans who perished in the year 2000 after a commotion that ensued during a match which involved Zimbabwe and South Africa senior teams at the National Sports Stadium.
“Zifa urges football fans to throng the ceremonial home of local football, Rufaro Stadium, for this emotional fixture which is also just 180 minutes away from qualification for the continental finals to be hosted by Senegal in November 2015.
“The Zimbabwe Football Association celebrates tenets of fair play and we urge all football fans to desist from any form of hooliganism.
“When the teams take to the field on Sunday, a minute of silence will be observed in honour of those lost souls before kick-off and we will also place anti-hooliganism banners at the venue,” said Gwesela in a statement on Zifa’s official website, www.zifa.org.zw .
Gwesela further expressed the association’s gratitude towards the Castle Lager Premier Soccer League for its support in eliminating counter attractions for the national team encounter.
“Zifa would like to thank the Premier Soccer League for suspending its whole programme to accommodate this special fixture which comes in the month that saw the tragic stampede culminate in the passing on of 13 supporters 15 years ago,” he added.
Alec Fidesi, Eularia Made, T Makonese, Tawanda Gwanzura, Patrick Mpariwa, Killian Madondo, George Chin’anga, Sam Mavhuro, Enock Chimombe, Joyce Chimbamba, Benhilda Magadu, Ronald Kufakunesu and Tonderai Jeke lost their lives during the stampede.
A trust to spearhead fund-raising and commemorative activities was appointed with Temba Mliswa, former Nigerian international John Fashanu and British boxing promoter Ambrose Mendy being part of the trust. However, little has been done over the years to commemorate the disaster although the families of the victims received a once off payment from Fifa.
Online Reporter