By Henry Mhara FIFA is expected to hand down their decision on the ongoing tiff between the Sports and Recreation Commission (SRC) and the suspended Zifa board this week, amid reports that the sports regulator on Tuesday snubbed a tripartite videoconferencing call arranged by the world football governing body to deal with the dispute.
Evidence shows that Fifa, through its senior manager — member associations and governance Sarah Solemale, last week wrote an email to SRC chairperson Gerald Mlotshwa and suspended Zifa board president Felton Kamambo, inviting them to a Zoom meeting “to finalise exchanges.”
“As anticipated in our prior discussions held, respectively in the past three weeks with respect to the situation of Zifa, we would like to finalise our exchanges through a videoconference call to be held on 14 December 2021 at 08:00 Zurich time/ 09:00 Harare time,” Solemale wrote on December 8.
“A Zoom invitation will be sent to you separately. Documentation to support our final exchanges will be provided by the end of this week for your perusal.”
Sources said SRC did not attend the meeting in protest after they received communication from Fifa instructing them to reinstate Kamambo and his board, failure of which would attract sanctions including a ban from international football.
That could mean the Warriors’ disqualification from the upcoming Africa Cup of Nations tournament which starts in Cameroon in under a month’s time.
SRC spokesperson Elta Nengomasha confirmed that her organisation did not attend a meeting with Fifa and Zifa.
“SRC did not attend any meeting with Fifa and Zifa,” she said in a brief response.
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While SRC decided not to attend the crucial meeting with Fifa, an event that had a bearing on the future of Zimbabwe football, the sports regulator, on the same day announced plans to bankroll the Warriors’ participation at the Afcon finals which kicks off in Yaoundé, Cameroon on January 9.
A statement from the SRC on Tuesday announced a proposed budgetary support of US$800 000 and ZWL 21 000 000 towards the Warriors participation.
Observers, however, believe the SRC’s announcement was to divert attention.
“How do you prepare for a tournament, while running away from those who hold the keys for your participation at the Afcon, which is Fifa? Zimbabwe is being sold a dummy (because) there are no intentions to go to Afcon. This is cheap propaganda, while dicing with the football industry and lives that feeds off it,” a concerned observer said.
SRC suspended the Zifa board on November 17 this year for alleged mismanagement and lack of accountability in the use of public funds, among a cocktail of other transgressions. They promised to install a caretaker committee in “the next 48 hours” to run the affairs at Zifa. One month later, a committee is yet to be announced.
Kamambo has disputed the allegations and says the action taken by the SRC was tatamount to government interference which invites the full wrath of Fifa.
Fifa does not tolerate third party interference in the running of member associations’ affairs.
- Follow Henry on Twitter @henrymhara
