SPORTS and Recreation Commission (SRC) laboured to give tangible reasons towards their ill-timed suspension of the Zimbabwe Football Association (Zifa) board this afternoon.
The suspension, however, puts the Warriors record third Africa Cup of Nations (Afcon) and fifth overall at next year’s games in Cameroon in jeopardy as Zifa risks being sanctioned by the world football governing body, Fifa, over government interference.
Barely the wounds of Zimbabwe Cricket’s ban by the International Cricket have healed that SRC is back again in a huff to ensure that the country’s most supported sport plunges into mourning.
As the news of the suspension of the Zifa board filtered in, the scheduled Premier Soccer League matches scheduled for today across the country failed to kick off as appointed referees absconded in solidarity with the suspended Board.
After numerous futile attempts, SRC Chairman Gerald Mlotshwa, who has not hidden his disdain towards the Zifa board, said the allegations are premised on governance and management of football in the country.
In suspending the Zifa board, SRC invoked Section 30 (i) (c) of the SRC Act, which reads:-
(1) Where the Board considers that any registered national association—:
(c) has conducted itself in a manner which is contrary to national interest; the Board may, after
affording the association concerned an opportunity of making representations in the matter, do either or both of the following—:
I. suspend all or
II. any of its officers;
In a statement released by SRC, Zifa’s litany of charges ranging from “mismanagement and lack of accountability in the use of public funds with specific reference to the letter issued to Zifa on July 3, 2019, where Zifa was asked to account fully for the use of public funds in the aftermath of the 2019 Africa Cup of Nation’s (Afcon) campaign.
“The sending of national teams outside of Zimbabwe without Covid-19 clearances from SRC,” read the statement.
The statement further reads, “The SRC is also in receipt of a report of alleged sexual harassment of female referees by key technical staff within Zifa. Despite several requests for the matter to be decisively dealt with, Zifa did not give the matter adequate attention given its gravity. Whereas the nation has made significant strides in empowering the girl child to be an active participant in sports, incidences of sexual harassment should be conclusively dealt with to enable a conducive environment for participation by all.
“Failure to address gender imbalances relating to the treatment of female national teams compared to their male counterparts in terms of allowances, up-keep and unfavourable operating conditions.”
The Felton Kamambo-led board is further accused of failing to address and make the appropriate investment of the development fund as provided by FIFA for grassroots and junior football development.
The regulatory body in suspending the ZIFA said they were doing so to avert a looming constitutional crisis due to the impending Zifa elections slated for early next year.
However, among the issues raised by the SRC, matters to do with teams clearance for their participation in Cosafa games in South Africa were dealt with. In December, SRC suspended Zifa General secretary Joseph Mamutse over the clearing of teams for South Africa, a responsibility that fell under the purview of SRC’s Director-General then, Prince Mupazviriho, who remains suspended since then.
