Zimbabwe’s Fifa suspension looks unlikely to be lifted ahead of the June Afcon qualifiers, Sports Minister Kirsty Coventry has hinted.
“The way forward is that Zifa ExCo will remain suspended until the courts have finished their proceedings (on corruption and allegations),” Coventry told parliament.
Zimbabwe were drawn with Liberia, South Africa and Morocco in the Afcon 2023 qualifiers. However, Caf said the Warriors could only play if the suspension is lifted two weeks before the qualifiers begin.
In February, the world football governing body, Fifa, banned Zimbabwe and demanded an immediate reversal of the Sports and Recreation Commission (SRC) suspension of the Zifa board.
The Fifa sanction also prevents football clubs from representing the country in continental competitions, such as the African Champions League and Caf Confederations Cup.
Fifa had initially given the SRC up to 3 January 2022 to reinstate the Zifa board. Still, it proceeded to take over all Afcon preparations and appointed an acting secretary-general to lead the Warriors at the finals.
Coventry’s sentiments come after the government-run SRC said the lifting of the suspension is not a “priority”.
“The lifting of the suspension is not our priority now. Our priority is in restructuring the manner in which football administration is undertaken in Zimbabwe. Issues relating to the FIFA suspension will be addressed when the SRC is satisfied that the reform process within ZIFA itself has been completed to its own satisfaction,” SRC Board chairperson Gerald Mlotshwa told The NewsReport.
Mlotshwa poured cold water on prospects of engaging ZIFA any longer, adding that the congress will decide on a way forward for the Kamambo led board.
“All our efforts were spent. The action to suspend the ZIFA Executive Committee was taken after the SRC Board concluded that there was no longer any point in trying to engage the ZIFA Executive Committee. Clearly, they were not interested in that. What must be understood is that the ZIFA Executive Committee is not Zimbabwe football. The Zimbabwe Football family is greater than the ZIFA Executive Committee. Yes, we know that there will be a point when the SRC and the wider football family in the country, that is the ZIFA Congress, will sit down and agree on how best to move forward. However, this will happen in the fullness of time,” Mlotshwa said.
Kamambo and his board were suspended following alleged mismanagement of Fifa and government funds and donations towards numerous national team campaigns. The other charges are sexual harassment.
This article was first published in The NewsReport.
