BY DANIEL NHAKANISO
Youth, Sports, Arts and Recreation minister Kirsty Coventry has broken her silence in the wake of Fifa’s decision to ban Zimbabwe from international football.
Speaking for the first time since the Fifa announcement, Coventry maintained her support for the Sports and Recreation Commision (SRC), who she believes were justified in their decision to suspend the Zifa board despite the move attracting sanctions from the world football governing body.
Coventry said while she understood the fans and other football stakeholders’ fears after the move by Fifa, she believed the action taken by the SRC was necessary.
“I know some of you are angry, some of you agree with the steps taken and some of you are in the middle. I also know, we have unwavering love for all things football. We love how it brings us together; we see it throughout our communities, all ages playing; we love that it brings us hope and makes us proud,” Coventry said in a statement released last night.
She asked: Has our football given us these things in the past few years? Has it made us proud? Has it brought us hope? Has it unified us? Has it opened opportunities for our players and our youth to dream big and be successful? These are some of the questions I asked myself two years ago, when this Zifa Saga yet again plagued our country. The board in and out of court for different reasons, the continuous allegations of bribery and corruption, the new allegations of sexual harassment and abuse of power. When will this stop? When will we have true leaders in soccer?
Coventry threw her weight behind the SRC’s decision to suspend the Zifa board due to the allegations they were facing .
“SRC with the full support of government and the sports-loving public, chose to protect our athletes. We chose to stand up for what we believe will be better for our national game. We knew that it might come at a cost, and we are willing to take that risk, because sometimes we have to fight for the voiceless, the vulnerable and the powerless.
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She added: “We will stand next to these strong and brave women who have come forward. We will stand next to our athletes and ensure they have the right opportunities to drive their sport forward. We will do anything to ensure this sport we all so dearly love is protected and is taken to new heights. We want to find a way forward with Caf and Fifa, that allows for us as Zimbabwe to thrive as a football nation.”
The former Olympic swimming champion said she was willing to listen to contributions from local football stakeholders, but ruled out a possible reinstatement of the suspended Zifa board members.
“I believe we can find a way, if it respects the two points I mentioned earlier. Fifa and Caf uphold their own statutes and SRC must do its job to protect and serve our athletes and in doing that will not reinstate alleged sexual predators and individuals fighting legal court cases.
She added: I do believe there is a way we can move forward and respect both these points. It will take more communication with all stakeholders; it will take all national football stakeholders coming together and choosing to protect their athletes and drive our football forward. It will take us as a nation, coming together, and demanding better for football.”
Meanwhile Zifa congress members, who were pushing for the removal of the Felton Kamambo-led Zifa board, say they will soon hold a consultative meeting with football stakeholders to discuss the way forward following the decision by Fifa to suspend the country from international football.
“We want to advise the football family that the members, who called for the EGM (emergency general meeting) will soon convene an emergency consultative meeting to discuss in detail the Fifa ban and pronounce our position with regards to the way forward,” Zifa Northern Region Division One chairman Martin Kweza wrote on behalf of the councillors.
“What must be very clear is that our football does not deserve leaders who call for the ban of their country. We reiterate that congress believes in dialogue and will soon engage all relevant stakeholders including SRC, Caf and Fifa to protect Zimbabwe’s football interests.”
