BY MICHAEL KARIATI
THE just ended Fifa Congress that confirmed Zimbabwe’s suspension from Fifa exposed the hide and seek game that is going on within the Zimbabwean football corridors.
Not only does the political game of chess involve the suspended Zifa executive and the Sports and Recreation Commission but Fifa too who seem to be adding fuel to an already burning house.
That the letter of invitation for the Fifa Congress was only produced a few days before the Congress itself and for that matter in court raises suspicion as to why this invitation was kept a secret all along.
What was the intention of keeping secret a meeting that was so important to Zimbabwean football ?
Why did the suspended Zifa executive seek government company to Doha only when it looked clear that the doors to the plane had been closed and not long before ?
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Is this Fifa Congress the only secret that has been kept away from Zimbabwe or there are lots of things happening behind the scenes between Zifa and Fifa that the whole of Zimbabwe is not privy to.
Apart from the widely circulated letter of February 24 ,2022, notifying of Zimbabwe’s suspension from international football, did Zifa receive any other correspondence from Fifa thereafter and what did it say ?
More so, is there or has there been any other correspondence from Fifa to Zifa which the suspended Zifa inner circle only had access to ?
If yes, what has that communication been all about ?
What is hurting is that this political game of chess is getting too far and even more and more confusing as – right now – only a few seem to have an idea on where exactly Zimbabwe stands within the Fifa corridors.
It is a fact that Fifa still recognizes Felton Kamambo as Zifa president and it would not be far away from the truth to suggest that Joseph Mamutse could still be receiving correspondence from Fifa on the Zimbabwe situation.
Surely, it is not Mamutse’s fault that Fifa still sees him as the point man on the Zimbabwe football situation but the problem would be in Mamutse not forwarding the correspondence from Fifa to the SRC – that is if he is receiving any at all.
The situation has been made worse by the SRC itself which does not seem to have an interest in what is happening within the Fifa corridors with regards to the football situation in Zimbabwe.
It is a fact that the best way in resolving a situation is through communication but the question is to what extent has the government controlled SRC engaged Fifa in its effort of restoring sanity to Zimbabwean football.
The point should be made loud and clear to the SRC that the football crisis cannot be resolved without engaging Fifa and they need to find ways and means at all costs of communicating with
the international football controlling body themselves.
In suspending Zimbabwe, Fifa made their demands clear but that does not mean that those demands are not negotiable and Fifa can still be moved from those demands through dialogue.
The fact that the football body was willing to discuss with the Sports Commission before Zimbabwe’s suspension means that their door is open for discussion and the SRC could still be listened to should they do things the Fifa way.
Without sounding repeatedly boring, the SRC cannot wait for salvation from the Zifa Council’s proposed meeting of April 23 because questions will still be raised on the Zifa Assembly’s mandate to hold such a meeting when their term expired before or by March 31.
The Namibian situation is different from Zimbabwe on the fact that the suspended Zifa executive can still question the constitutional rights or legality of the Zifa Assembly in debating their future when the Assembly itself is no longer in office.
It should be placed on record that this Zifa Council was brought into office before Kamambo was elected Zifa president and as such the Assembly is overdue in terms of its own elections.
There is, however, nothing wrong in trying and the Zifa Assembly meeting can still go ahead as planned as long as it strongly believes it’s resolutions will not rebound.
On the credit side, the SRC have set the ball rolling by appointing a Restructuring Committee and the best way would be for them to engage Fifa on the way forward because after all, Fifa will have the final say on the route to take.
The Namibian situation was resolved through constant contact with Caf, and Fifa, and Zimbabwe too, can resolve its problems that way.
- For your views, comments, and suggestions, mkariati@gmail.com or WhatsApp on 0773 266 779.