Zifa board member Solomon Mugavazi, who was on Friday suspended from all football activities pending an appearance before a Zifa ethics committee for his involvement in the Asiagate match-fixing scandal, has said he will continue to discharge his football duties as he is yet to receive a suspension letter from the football association.
Mugavazi who is also a director of a Castle Lager Premier Soccer league side Monomotapa, is one of the first three Zifa officials to fall victim of the widely reported match-fixing scandal.
The other board members who were suspended are Zifa vice-president Kenny Marange and board member development Methembe Ndlovu. Marange has already accepted his fate while saying he would use the forced leave as an opportunity to clear his name.
Mugavazi has, however, poured cold water on the Friday decision by the Zifa board.
“I haven’t received any formal communication from Zifa concerning my suspension. I have been reading these things from newspapers, but as far as I know I’m not suspended. Up until I get an official letter from Zifa will I comment on the matter. Right now it’s unnecessary for me to give my comment basing on press reports. Anyway, I’m not employed by Zifa, I’m doing these duties as part of my social responsibilities to the community,” said Mugavazi.
When asked to clarify on his statement that he is not employed by Zifa yet he is a Zifa Northern Region chairman and a board member, Mugavazi said: “I will get back to you as soon as I get the so-called letter confirming my suspension, I cannot say anything further than that.”
Zifa chief executive Jonathan Mashingaidze said the suspended trio was expected to get their letters on Monday.
But while Mugavazi is still in the denial mode, minutes of the Friday meeting say action was taken against the three officials after they were fingered in the second Asiagate report as having participated in the match-fixing scandal that has rocked the country’s football.
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Charges against Mugavazi arose when he led his Monomotapa side in a trip to Malaysia in 2008 where they masqueraded as the Warriors in an international friendly match which was later stripped of its Fifa A international status after the discovery.
Monomotapa played two matches against the Malaysian national side, losing both on a 4-0 and 1-0 score-line.
