ZIMBABWE has been suspended from international football by FIFA with immediate effect.
The ban follows the meddling in the affairs of the local game by the sports governing body, the Sports and Recreation Commission.
FIFA had acted patiently with ZIFA of late. Despite numerous calls for the SRC led by its chairperson Gerald Mlotshwa to reconsider several violations, it did not budge in.
“The FIFA Council considered that the… circumstances were serious and constituted a clear case of undue interference by a third party. Therefore, based on article 14 paragraphs 1 i) and 3 of the FIFA Statutes- as well as article 16 paragraph 1, under which the FIFA Council may, without a vote of the Congress, temporarily suspend with immediate effect a member association that seriously violates its obligations,” FIFA Secretary-General Fatma Samoura wrote to ZIFA General-Secretary Joseph Mamutse today.
“The FIFA Council decided to suspend ZIFA with immediate effect due to flagrant violations of the FIFA Statutes.
“Consequently, and under article 13 of the FIFA Statutes, ZIFA loses all its membership rights as of 24 February 2022 until further notice. ZIFA representatives and club teams are no longer entitled to participate in international competitions until the suspension is lifted. This also means that neither the ZIFA nor any of its members or officials may benefit from any development programmes, courses or training from FIFA…”
The SRC set themselves on a collision course with FIFA when they requested the appointment of a normalisation committee for (ZIFA).
“In reply, FIFA stated that the conditions for doing so had not been fulfilled and referred the SRC to article 14 paragraph 1 i) and article 19 paragraph 1 of the FIFA Statutes on undue third-party interference. Nevertheless, FIFA highlighted that it remained at the authorities’ disposal to discuss joint efforts,” the letter read.
“On 26 November 2020, the ZIFA General Secretary was suspended from football administration by the SRC. As a result, on 30 November 2020, FIFA highlighted the formal and substantial irregularities of that decision and reminded the SRC of the contents of article 14 paragraph 1 i) and article 19 paragraph 1 of the FIFA Statutes. Eventually, on 3 December 2020, the ZIFA General Secretary appealed the SRC suspension before the Administrative Court of Zimbabwe.
“On 16 November 2021, the SRC suspended the ZIFA Board, allegedly in view of “several incidences of gross incompetence… contrary to the national interest” as per the law. On 1 December 2021, the ZIFA Board appealed that decision before the Administrative Court of Zimbabwe.
According to the letter, SRC Chairperson Mlotshwa frustrated efforts of crafting a 2022 road map. He instead allegedly did not avail himself for a crucial virtual meeting to iron out the problematic areas.
“Thereafter, FIFA and the SRC discussed the matter on a couple of occasions by phone and videoconference call to work together on finding a swift and positive solution. In particular, it was initially agreed with the SRC during the previous discussions that a draft roadmap for 2022 would be shared with ZIFA for implementation, with close monitoring by FIFA,” said the FIFA ban letter.
“As a matter of fact, a Zoom meeting involving the ZIFA President (Felton Kamambo) and the SRC Chairperson was supposed to take place on 14 December 2021 in order to finalise that roadmap. In return, the SRC was to lift the suspension of the ZIFA Board, Eventually, the SRC Chairperson declined to participate in that meeting. Instead, on 17 December 2021, the SRC informed FIFA that it had appointed a “restructuring committee” composed of nine members, whose mandate would end by no later than 31 December 2022.
