As Zimbabwe continues to remain suspended by FIFA, the country’s football fraternity has missed out on several benefits that made the sport thrive.
FIFA suspended Zimbabwe in February 2022 after it’s government pushed aside the associations’ executive led by Felton Kamambo.
Zimbabwe’s Sports and Recreation Commission [SRC] forcefully took control of the Zimbabwe Football Association [ZIFA].
Gift Banda was installed as the ZIFA acting president.
They said they were acting against corruption, misadministration and sexual harassment of female referees.
Until now it remains unclear when Zimbabwe will be able to play international football again.
They have since been expelled from taking part in the Africa Cup of Nations and World Cup qualifiers.
What compounds the situation is how SRC has bluntly refused to comply with FIFA’s directives to reinstate the officials that they removed from office.
SRC chairman Gerald Mlotshwa recently said they will meet FIFA and CAF‘s top brace when the restructuring committee implements their recommendations.
The committee was set up by the SRC albeit against what the world football governing body adviced them.
WHAT ZIMBABWE HAS MISSED
Having been sidelined from all international tournaments, Zimbabwe has also been starved of grants and programs to enhance the game at all levels.
What Zimbabwe has missed ranges from referees courses, administration courses, Sports medicine courses, futsal and beach courses.
They have also missed on receiving equipment for grassroot development programmes.
FINANCIAL GRANTS
Zimbabwean football has survived on grants from the world football governing body as it is not subsdized by the government.
However FIFA cut all grants that include schools football project funds and annual Financial Assistance Programme [FAP] funds.
Women football has not be spared as the development grant for women soccer was also cut.
In October 2021, Zimbabwe’s stadiums were banned after the authorities failed to upgrade them to meet international standards.
Having been starved off the grant for infrastructural development, the stadiums are likely to be below the minimum requirements
The country has also been excluded from receiving television rights for CAF inter club competions, women and youth competitions at national team level.
With the 73rd FIFA Congress set to be convened in Rwanda on 16 March, the suspension is likely to be ratified into a ban.
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