Zim protest Caf decision

Petros Kausiyo Deputy Sports Editor
ZIFA were yesterday left feeling hard done by the Confederation of African Football’s controversial decision to appoint referees from faraway Cameroon to handle Zimbabwe’s African Nations Championships qualifying showdown with Zambia at Rufaro on Sunday. The Warriors will host Chipolopolo in a CHAN second round, first leg tie on Sunday with the reverse fixture scheduled for Levy Mwanawasa stadium in Ndola on the weekend of August 23-25.
However, Caf stunned Zifa by assigning Cameroon referee Aurelien Juenkou to handle the match with the assistance of the trio of Fuanta Joseph Lambi, Elvis Noupue and Christopher Nde in a move that is certain to further stretch the cash-strapped association’s resources.

It is also ironic that a week after appointing match officials from Mozambique — Samuel Chirinza, Chandreque Marengula and De Jesus Mugabe — to officiate in the first round clash between the Warriors and Mauritius, Caf opted to look for referees from a more far away zone.

Caf have already squeezed the CHAN fixture programmes which they would want to be completed by the end of this month and directed that three of the games be played in as many weeks.

This has also meant that the domestic Premiership has had to be shelved to pave the way for the Warriors first round matches against Mauritius as well as Sunday’s massive showdown against the team that dethroned them from the Cosafa Cup perch.

It is Caf’s bid to ensure that the CHAN fixtures do not overlap into the final round of the 2014 World Cup qualifying fixtures in September.
The draw for the CHAN tournament is also pencilled in for next month and with 12 of the 16 teams that will line up at the tournament in South Africa decided, the Warriors and Chipolopolo are among the sides that are now battling for the remaining slots.

But it is the Caf decision, through their competitions division, to appoint match officials from Cameroon which irked Zifa as they felt it flew into the face of the continental body’s usual procedure to try and help member associations cut down on costs by appointing referees from within the competing teams’ zones or nearby regions.

Zifa chief executive Jonathan Mashingaidze yesterday wrote to Caf general-secretary Hicham El Amrani registering his association’s displeasure over the questionable decision and asked the continental body to appoint referees from the Southern African zone.

“The Zimbabwe Football Association hereby brings to your attention our observation that our fixture against Zambia in the 2014 CHAN tournament’s second round, first leg is going to be handled by match officials from Cameroon.

“It is our humble request that Caf considers deploying match officials from the Southern Zone on account of financial considerations.
“We await your urgent assistance,’’ wrote Mashingaidze.

The letter was also copied to the Caf competitions and CHAN manager Amr Fahmy as well as Zifa board members.
But Caf, who have a penchant of courting controversy in the way they handle their business whether it is do with inter-club competitions, youth tournaments or the African Cup of Nations competitions, immediately threw out Zifa’s appeal .

In a terse reply, El Amrani tried to justify their decision to look for match officials from Cameroon by arguing that some of the continental body’s top referees from closer regions who could have been considered for such a match were involved in duties elsewhere.

“You request is well received. Please note that Caf always tries to select the closest possible referees. However, it is not always possible due to the numerous matches taking place around the continent.

“Moreover, considering the importance of such a match, Caf also takes as a priority the competence of such referees.
“As such, I regret to inform you that Caf cannot fulfill your request for change,’’ wrote El Amrani.

Curiously, Caf have hardly acceded to any of the representations that Zifa have made to them over the years and only in February last year the continental body turned down passionate appeals by Zimbabwe to have FC Platinum allowed to host their Champions League match against Sudanese outfit El Merreikh at Mandava on the basis that there was no airport in Zvishavane.

Caf’s latest decision to appoint referees that would need to make a trans-continental journey instead of looking for referees who could make direct flights to Harare from the Southern, East and Central Africa also means cash-strapped Zifa would have to fork out more money to pay for their match-official flights.

Ironically, the same Caf has been known to appoint North African referees for matches involving such teams like Egypt, Algeria, Libya, Tunisia or Morocco.
They have also traditionally done the same when appointing referees from within the region to handle matches involving West African teams and it had been Zifa’s hopes that Caf would consider top referees from such countries like Malawi, Angola, South Africa, Namibia, and Lesotho or even those from Kenya or Uganda which would have been less costly for them.

Some of the top referees from within the Southern African region, include Daniel Bennet of South Africa, Helder Martins de Carvalho of Angola and Seychelles’ Eddy Maillet.

Each host association caters for the upkeep and travel of match officials for Caf assignments.
After having their appeal turned down, Zifa would now have to look for the funds to ensure that Juenkou and his colleagues are flown to and from Cameroon for Sunday’s Battle of the Zambezi showdown which has already started generating interest given the long standing rivalry between the Warriors and Chipolopolo.