Zifa have been hit with a $10 000 fine by world football governing body Fifa following the after-match violence that rocked the Warriors’ 1-0 loss to Guinea in a 2014 World Cup qualifier at the National Sports Stadium on June 3.
The national association’s chief executive Jonathan Mashingaidze told NewsDay Sport on the sidelines of the Fifa/Interpol/Cosafa Regional Integrity Workshop that Fifa had communicated the decision last week.
“We received that communication from Fifa last week after the match commissioner filed his report from the match after the incidents after the match,” Mashingaidze said.
“It’s blow to us and there is nothing we can about the issue save to scrounge around for resources and pay.”
Mauritian referee Rajindraparsad Seechurn took charge of the match while Ahmad Ahmad from Madagascar was the match commissioner.
Fans threw missiles onto the field of play after the match, resulting in the Guinea players fleeing for safety under protection from the police.
Players and the match officials also failed to go to their dressing rooms, resulting in riot police being called in to quell the trouble.
Interim Warriors coach Rahman Gumbo was also a victim after he was pelted on his way to the dressing rooms.
- 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
Gumbo replaced Norman Mapeza after the latter was suspended by Zifa on allegations of match-fixing. Mapeza was the head coach when the Warriors failed to qualify for the 2012 Africa Cup of Nations finals after they lost 2-1 to Cape Verde Islands in Praia in the penultimate qualifier.
In the match, Zimbabwe conceded two soft goals in the opening 13 minutes of the match, a situation which Zifa deemed suspicious.
There are allegations that the fans that threw missiles after the Guinea match had been paid $50 each by a syndicate linked to the alleged match fixers. The issues, sources said, was a reaction to the appointment of Gumbo as the coach.
Then the Zimbabwe National Soccer Supporters’ Association, through its secretary-general Wellington Mpandare, said the organisation advocated for no violence at football stadia and urged fans to desist from the hooliganism.
Another supporters’ association, the Friends of the Warriors, also called for peace although it is a known fact that the two organisations do not see eye to eye. One group is allegedly linked to Zifa president Cuthbert Dube and the other to dismissed former Zifa chief executive officer Henrietta Rushwaya.
None of the allegations have been proved so far. Zimbabwe’s next match is at Rufaro Stadium on September 9 in a 2013 Africa Cup of Nations first leg qualifier against Angola — a match that the Warriors need to win to take a comfortable lead to the second leg in Luanda in October.
Should Zimbabwe win over the two legs, it will only be third time for the Warriors to appear in the continental competition after 2004 in Tunisia and 2006 in Egypt. In 2004, the Warriors were under Sunday Chidzambwa and assisted by Gumbo.
Charles Mhlauri, who had taken over from Gumbo, was in charge of the next edition. In both editions, Peter Ndlovu, now Under-23 mentor and assistant to Gumbo, was the captain.
