The Asiagate scandal is expected to lead discussions when three International Federation of Professional Footballers (FifPro) officials arrive in the country today for a one-day-long visit.
FifPro is a worldwide organisation that represents professional footballers.
The officials, Stephane Burchkalter (secretary-general), Stephane Saint-Raymond (director of information) from France and Thulagawo Gaoshubelwe from South Africa, who are coming at the request of the local footballers union, are expected in the country this afternoon.
Footballers Union of Zimbabwe (Fuz) secretary-general Paul Gundani yesterday confirmed the visit. The three are arriving tomorrow (today) afternoon.
The main purpose of their visit is to assess the unions activities with a view to giving us full membership. We are hoping that with this visit we will be given full membership.
Zimbabwe are one of the six countries who are still on the FifPro candidate members list. In the event that they get the nod, the country will join 43 other nations who have already assumed full membership. They are also going to meet various football stakeholders to understand their relations with our union and its members, the players.
The FifPro officials, who will be making their first ever visit to the country since the inception of the Desmond Maringwa-led Fuz in March 2010, are expected to meet officials from Zifa, the Premier Soccer League (PSL), the Sports and Recreation Commission (SRC)and Ministry of Education, Sport, Arts and Culture. They are also expected to meet representatives from PSL clubs.
However, it is their meeting with Zifa that should be very interesting.
- Chamisa under fire over US$120K donation
- Mavhunga puts DeMbare into Chibuku quarterfinals
- Pension funds bet on Cabora Bassa oilfields
- Councils defy govt fire tender directive
Keep Reading
A source told NewsDay Sport yesterday: FifPro represents players the world over and they are obviously concerned with what is happening with its members here. There is no doubt they will raise the issue with Zifa and probably with the SRC and the ministry.
Gundani said his union would brief FifPro on the match-fixing scandal. At the moment FifPro cant do anything concerning the match-fixing scandal. Its still an internal matter and what they can only do is watch from a distance.
But us as an active member what we can just do at the moment is to brief them on what is happening here.
Our main worry at the moment concerning the whole match-fixing issue is the inconsistency that is being exhibited at Zifa where today 82 players are suspended, tomorrow its only three and the following day that decision is reversed again, said Gundani.
