Zim set to lose out on Fifa funded projects

By Newsday | Nov. 25, 2021 | 4 Min read

The imminent ban would not only see the national teams prohibited from taking part in football events run by FIFA and CAF, but the country could also lose out on a stadium that FIFA intends to build in each African country.

BY HENRY MHARA ZIMBABWE is set to lose out on a FIFA funded stadium and other infrastructural and developmental projects following the decision by the Sports and Recreation Commission (SRC) to dissolve ZIFA.

SRC last week took a drastic decision to dissolve the seven member Zifa executive board, accusing them of failing to account for $53 000 that they received from the government towards Warriors’ participation at the 2019 Africa Cup of Nations (Afcon) finals in Egypt.

The country’s sports regulator said a normalisation committee to replace the Felton Kamambo led board would be announced soon.

But this move could be viewed as government interference which could see Zimbabwe getting isolated by FIFA from international football events as the world football governing body does not tolerate third party meddling in the affairs of its member associations.

Under its Project African Football, the world governing body last year announced plans to make solid and sustainable infrastructural investments in Africa, worth $1bn dollars.

“We are elaborating a proposal to mobilise USD1bn to build at least one top stadium in the countries of each of FIFA and CAF’s 54 Member Associations,” FIFA president Gianni Infantino said during a seminar, held in Morocco last year and attended by delegates from each of CAF’s 54 Member Associations.

“In the countries where there is already at least one very good stadium, the investments can be done in other infrastructures.”

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The matter is one of the top items on the agenda of the CAF EGM which starts tomorrow in Cairo, Egypt.

Indications are that FIFA has already mobilised the funds and the project is scheduled to start next year with countries such as Zimbabwe, which do not have a stadium that meet international standards, set to be given a priority.

The National Sports Stadium, the only stadium that was being used by the Warriors, has since been barred from hosting international matches until it has been renovated to meet minimum standards required by CAF.

SRC, which is in charge of the stadium, has failed to install bucket seats and electronic turnstiles, and also setting up a Venue Operations Centre.

The media centre that they set up at the stadium is substandard.

Infantino said he wants African football to shine and will work with CAF and other stakeholders to also improve refereeing and competitions on the continent.

Fifa has already started conducting referees courses across the continent, and Zimbabwe was scheduled to host its event this week, but it failed to take off following events of last week.

A four-day elite referees’ course and a referee instructors’ course were scheduled for Bulawayo this week, but FIFA instructed Zifa to cancel until further notice in reaction to the suspension of the Zifa board.

Thirty participants had been drawn from the country’s 10 provinces, and were meant to undergo high-level theory and practical sessions as well as fitness assessments under the facilitation of renowned FIFA and CAF instructor, Felix Tangawarima.

Zifa, with the support of FIFA last month conducted a course for match commissioners.

Zimbabwe has previously lost opportunities to build infrastructure funded by FIFA under its FIFA Goal project initiative.

The FIFA GOAL Project is an initiative by FIFA to assist countries around the world to construct their very own “House of Football” and technical facilities for the development and continued progress of football activities.

While Zifa managed to build the Zifa Village under the initiative, it missed five other opportunities of similar magnitude as the association was not in good standing with FIFA.

Other countries on the continent, for example, South Africa has maximised on the Goal Project opportunity and built the SAFA headquarters, a restaurant, 52 football turfs one in each SAFA region complete with club houses with changing rooms, ablution facilities, perimeter fencing and training lights.

SAFA also owns the Fun Valley Project – a resort bought and turned into a world-class technical centre.

The Gerald Mlotshwa -led SRC board has said it was ready to face any consequences if FIFA were to impose sanctions on Zimbabwe over government interference in football matters.

Here is what Zimbabwe football would lose if FIFA were to ban the country:

Zimbabwe will be unable to participate in international matches organised by FIFA and CAF. That means the Warriors will be disqualified from next year’s Afcon finals.
The Mighty Warriors who are a tie away against Botswana from qualifying to the Women’s Afcon finals will also be disqualified.
Local clubs will not play in the Caf Champions League and the Confederations Cup.

According to senior journalist Richard Chidza, it’s the players who will be the biggest casualties.

There won’t be any international transfers, which means Zimbabwean players playing in the local league cannot move abroad.

Foreign based players will still be able to renew contracts, but cannot move to another country if their contract expires.

Fifa sanctions would also see the world governing body closing financial tapes on Zimbabwe which has been the heartbeat of ZIFA and local football. Local referees will also be barred from taking part in international assignments and participating in seminars organised by the body, and CAF.

Furthermore, the country will lack representation in regional and international conventions and no Zimbabwean will be eligible to contest for any post in FIFA and CAF or its affiliated bodies like Cosafa.

That spells doom for people like Philip Chiyangwa who heads Cosafa and Tangawarima while Zimbabweans who coach outside the country such as Kalisto Pasuwa who is at Big Bullets in Malawi, could be thrown out of their jobs.