Black Leopards coach Sunday Chidzambwa is threatening a lawsuit and proclaiming his innocence in match-fixing allegations which currently haunt the Zimbabwean national team.
Chidzambwa was coach of the Zimbabweans for seven of their estimated 15 games played in Kenya and Asia between 2007 and 2010 which are under scrutiny.
His name is part of a damning 162-page report on the side’s Asian tours, dubbed “Asiagate”. The dossier has now been handed over to Fifa, Caf and the country’s sports ministry.
Fifa president Sepp Blatter was in Zimbabwe last week, where he sought a quick resolution, and said if anyone is found guilty they could expect to be banned for life from the sport.
Already dismissed Zifa’s chief executive Henrietta Rushwaya is believed to be the ring leader and said to have pocketed in the region of $450 000 from a betting syndicate.
According to the report, some of the benefits received by those involved included cars and luxury household goods while coaching staff pocketed between $8 000 and $9 000 each.
In sworn statements, Zimbabwe players and officials said they were paid between $500 and $1 500 to throw matches on a trip to Thailand and Malaysia.
Speaking on Wednesday after a training session with recently-promoted PSL side, Black Leopards, Chidzambwa said he would deal with the matters arising from the probe when he finds time to go back to Zimbabwe. He readily admitted he had travelled on some of the tours in question. “I will deal with the decisions when I go back to Zimbabwe,” said Chidzambwa.
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“If people rely on hearsay, then I will meet them in court. Never in my life have I instructed a player to throw a game. They (Zifa) must come to me with evidence.”
Chidzambwa blamed the association for the “mess” which he deemed to be politically motivated. “You see, there is politics within the FA. There is the new group pointing fingers at the old group,” he said.
“But regarding me — if one is involved in these sorts of situations, then the matter is to be taken to the courts, isn’t it? That’s all I want to say.” Leopards chairman David Thidiela said on Tuesday he had no doubt Chidzambwa was innocent.
“I know Sunday to be a God-fearing, polite individual to be involved in such a scandal,” Thidiela said. “I am clear about that and the fact he will be the coach of Leopards next season.”
