THE Confederation of African Football (CAF) has piled more pressure on the Sports and Recreation Commission (SRC) to lift the suspension of the Felton Kamambo board, threatening unspecified sanctions on members of the Src-recognised ZIFA Executive Committee led by Gift Banda.
CAF General Secretary Véron Mosengo-Omba, in his response to a Banda led ZIFA board communique dated July 20, 2022, reiterated that Zimbabwe will only be reinstated into the football family once the SRC stops meddling in the affairs of local football as per FIFA statutes.
Mosengo-Omba referred to the FIFA Council decision of February 24, 2022, suspending ZIFA based on Article 14 paragraphs 1 i) and 3 of the FIFA Statutes as well as Article 16 paragraph 1, of the FIFA Statutes, as ratified by the FIFA Congress meeting of 31 March 2022 in Doha, Qatar.
However, CAF is more concerned with the Extraordinary General Assembly meeting convened on April 23, 2022, during which a decision was taken to revoke the mandate of three Executive Committee members, including President Kamambo and two others, Brighton Malandule and Philemon
Machana.
Another issue raised in the letter from Mosenga-Omba to the ZIFA Secretary General, a committee claiming to be the bona fide ZIFA Executive Committee, with the assistance of the SRC, has made themselves signatories to ZIFA’s bank accounts and is subsequently transacting the proceeds deposited by CAF and FIFA.
What is laughable is despite overtures from the SRC recognised board pontificating as paragons of virtue by instituting a forensic audit in the financial affairs of ZIFA, CAF and FIFA, the owners of that money are not moved by that.
They still see that as interference and in violation of FIFA statutes.
“Consequently, CAF hereby directs ZIFA to immediately cease using and accessing any funds deposited by FIFA or CAF in the ZIFA accounts. Please note that a breach of this directive will be regarded as a violation of the FIFA Council decision dated February 24, 2022, as ratified by the FIFA Congress on March 31, 2022 and may be subject to ZIFA
or the officials involved to disciplinary sanctions,” wrote Mosengo-Omba.
He further reminded ZIFA Secretary General about the FIFA congress decision.
“The above decision is clear and unequivocal that the suspension will only be lifted if:
(i) The Sports and Recreation Commission (SRC) repeals the decision of 26 November 2020
suspending the ZIFA General Secretary
(ii) SRC repeals the SRC decision of 16 November 2021 suspending the ZIFA Board
(iii) SRC repeals the SRC decision of 17 December 2021, setting up the restructuring committee.
(iv) FIFA receives confirmation from ZIFA and its management, led by President Felton Kamambo and General Secretary Joseph Mamutse, that ZIFA and its premises are once
more under their full and unconditional control; and
(v) SRC withdraws the court case against the ZIFA President, three other ZIFA Board members
and the General Secretary for allegedly misusing ZIFA’s letterheads.”
CAF Secretary General concluded the letter by quoting Article 7 of CAF, which reads:
“Members of CAF shall have the following obligations:
a)To respect and ensure that their members respect, at all times unreservedly, the principles of ethics and fair play enacted by CAF and FIFA, the principles of integrity and
sportsmanship as well as the Statutes, regulations, decisions and directives of CAF and FIFA.
g) To manage their affairs independently and free of intrusions and interferences of any kind by any person or body.”
According to CAF, none of the conditions stated in the FIFA Council decision dated February 24 as ratified by the FIFA Congress on March 31 have been fully and unconditionally met; therefore, Zimbabwe remain suspended.
