adminAugustine Hwata Sports Reporter
ZIFA have said they will not bid to host the 2015 African Cup of Nations finals after Morocco pulled out yesterday over the Ebola crisis. Jonathan Mashingaidze, the ZIFA chief executive, said would not jump into the race to host the tournament next year.
Last month, ZIFA submitted their bid to host the 2017 Nations Cup after Libya pulled out. “Normally, if a country pulls out, CAF will invite bids for candidates to host and once the bids are opened then members will start making consultations with their Governments,” said Mashingaidze.
“A Government guarantee for funding is needed and in terms of the time frame, this is too little for us.”
The 2015 Nations Cup final is expected to start on January 15 and would see over 8 00 players and technical officials coming from different countries.
“It will be putting a strain on our Government if we are to jump and try the 2015 hosting,” said Mashingaidze.
“I think we would rather focus on the 2017 bid that we have already submitted.” The ZIFA head of secretariat said they have presented five bid books to CAF and would need to aggressively market their 2017 efforts.
“It will be trying too hard for 2015 and there is less than three months to prepare. So that one is out and we should focus on the 2017.
“Besides a strain on resources, I think this Ebola scourge is real. For me Morocco had a valid reason to be fearful because they will get many visitors and may fail to control or monitor them.
“Here we heard people even cancelling their bookings for the Shanyai/Travel Expo because of Ebola fears,” said Mashingaidze.
The Zimbabwe Tourism Authority said hotels bookings worth over US$6 million were cancelled ahead of the expo in Harare over Ebola concerns.
Media reports yesterday said after the withdrawal of Morocco, South Africa was tipped as the next hosts after Safa president Danny Jordan met with CAF President Issa Hayatou to discuss the matter.
South Africa hosted the Nations Cup in 1996 and 2013 and also are the only African nation ever to host the World Cup.
Online Reporter