ZIFA Midlands Province patron and former governor Cephas Msipa has called on the national association to be lenient on players in the wake of the Asiagate match-fixing scandal. Some of them have been banned.
SPORTS CORRESPONDENT
The former football administrator urged local players to emulate the example set by former warriors captain Peter Ndlovu, whom he said, finished his footballing career without any scandals of a match fixing nature.
“People must learn from Peter Ndlovu, who managed to end his entire career without being implicated in any such scandals. We should not entertain people who drag the name of local football in the mud,” he said.
In his plea for mercy on behalf of the banned players Msipa quoted one of William Shakespeare’s plays the Merchant of Venice.
“I had wanted Dube (Cuthbert, Zifa president) to be here in person so that I could tell him my personal feelings over the Asiagate punishments. Shakespeare in the Merchant of Venice said quality of mercy is not strained, it falls gently from heaven.
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“It is my strong feeling that Zifa should show mercy to the players.” Msipa challenged corporates in the Midlands Province to sponsor local teams and not wait for people from Harare. The awards ceremony saw Mabvokocho FC from Gweru and NewZimsteel Under-19 being presented with awards and medals courtesy of the Zifa president. The two teams gained promotion into the Central Region Division 1 League after topping in their respective Zifa Midlands Province Division Two leagues.