A GROUP representing former players, calling itself Lifelong Footballers’ Trust of Zimbabwe (LIFTZ), has petitioned Sports, Arts and Culture minister Andrew Langa to dissolve the Zimbabwe Football Association (Zifa), accusing the association of incompetence.
Tawanda Tafirenyika Sports Correspondent
However, Zifa chief executive Jonathan Mashingaidze dismissed the petition saying it was a desperate attempt by “attention-seeking individuals” to get back into football.
Led by its chairman Francis Zimunya and Zimbabwe National Soccer Supporters’ Association (ZNSSA) communications and public relations officer Paddington Japajapa, it said Zifa was saddled with a huge debt which was destroying its capacity to operate efficiently.
The petition — signed by several local football personalities — also proffered some solutions to the problems bedevilling Zimbabwean football. It lobbied the minister to suspend the Cuthbert Dube-led Zifa board as and replace it with what it termed “a credible team of dedicated volunteers composed of former players, experienced technocrats and professionals”.
Zimunya said they were following in the footsteps of Cameroon who appointed a normalisation committee to run the affairs of the football federation.
Efforts to seek comment from Langa were fruitless yesterday . However, attempts in the past to dissolve the Zifa board have been futile. Government interference in football matters is also outlawed by world football governing body Fifa.
But the group insists it is following in the footsteps of Cameroon who went on to appoint a normalisation committee following the dissolution of its board.
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The petition reads: “Zifa is in shambles because of the following:
Zifa is top-heavy which is costing the association thousands of dollars hence Zifa is riddled with debt which it owes to its non-productive workers who in turn have been destroying Zifa’s capacity to operate efficiently. These Zifa employees have resorted to taking legal action resulting in the attachment of Zifa property thereby destroying its image and paralysing the operations of the association.
Zifa has unwarranted and unproductive sub-committees that has been milking Zifa revenue, eg, the Zifa Ethics Committee which gobbled over $700 000 among other committees
Zifa has been wasting its resources by participating in matches and activities that do not add value to the association and its stakeholders.
Zifa destroyed and has disinvested in all youth structures which are now non-existent across the board
Zifa is infested by non-football personnel and people with no football experience and expertise but only committed to destroy whatever of substance is remaining in Zifa.
Zifa debt — The Wellington Nyatanga administration left a $600 000 debt, but now we hear that the Zifa debt is in the region of over $7 000 000. The question is where it emanated from since the Zifa structures are not operational. All the national teams are not playing whilst on the other hand Zifa has been receiving its Fifa grants.
Misappropriation of Fifa grants meant for development by Zifa. lLack of sponsorship from the corporate world. Lack of government funding
Solutions
To remove Zifa from the murky waters it is in right now, there is need for the minister to appoint a normalisation committee to administer and restructure Zifa. The minister needs to suspend the current Zifa board as a matter of urgency and replace it with a credible team of dedicated volunteers composed of former players, experienced technocrats and professionals.”
But Zifa CEO Mashingaidze shot back, saying: “Zifa would like to respond to the purpoted petition to dissolve the Zifa board and the assembly given by some desperate and attention-seeking individuals. Zifa has great respect for authority as government provides an enabling environment for the growth and development of the beautiful game.”
Added Mashingaidze: “Zifa dismisses the purported petition with the contempt it deserves. The Zifa board and assembly are in office after a credible poll endorsed by Fifa. Those characters lobbying for the dissolution of the Zifa board are desperate spent forces gate-crashing into football after their failure in the past. Some of them were barred in the past for bringing the game of football into disrepute. The purported dissolution has no place in our statutes and constitution and in any event it is the Zifa assembly that decides its own destiny.”
