Petros Kausiyo
Sports Editor
AFTER watching from a distance since suspending Zimbabwe from the international football family on February 24 last year, FIFA last week finally discovered the toxicity and rot that has choked the life out of ZIFA.
A FIFA delegation that was led by their head of development programmes in Africa, Solomon Mudege, and the senior member associations governance manager, Sarah Solemale, spent the week getting an appreciation of the situation obtaining in the domestic game.
The duo was later joined by CAF representatives Walter Nyamilandu of Malawi, COSAFA president Artur de Almeida e Silva and Botswana’s Maclean Letshwiti.
While FIFA remained tight-lipped last week, sources close to the discussions told The Sunday Mail Sport that Mudege and his team had impressed the need for FIFA conditions to be fulfilled as one of the key steps for the suspension to be lifted.
They, however, made it clear they were prepared to engage, hence the fact-finding mission.
It also emerged that the Sports and Recreation Commission (SRC), Premier Soccer League (PSL), FUZ (Football Union of Zimbabwe), Women’s League and even the ZIFA board members told the visitors how broken the relationship between the Felton Kamambo leadership and Congress had become.
Their reinstatement, they said, might not be tenable.
FIFA conditions
The FIFA delegation was also told that their conditions had been overtaken by events.
“During the discussions, the issue of the FIFA conditions was thoroughly debated — whether it was with the SRC, with the ZIFA executives, PSL or Women’s League.
“But in going through them, what came out clearly was that most of them no longer apply as circumstances changed over the year and in the end it was a case of one condition outstanding, which has its own legalities in terms of fulfilling it,’’ one source said.
FIFA had directed SRC to disband the Restructuring Committee, reinstate ZIFA chief executive officer Joseph Mamutse, drop fraud charges levelled against the recalled ZIFA executives and reinstate Kamambo as ZIFA president.
“The delegation was advised that the Restructuring Committee was automatically disbanded at the end of their mandate in December 2022, and any move to dissolve it is now academic . . .
“Mamutse’s suspension, which was effected together with that of the then SRC director-general Prince Mupazviriho, was lifted by the commission.
“In fact, the ZIFA Congress then held their EGM in April last year and asked the SRC to lift his suspension but Mamutse has refused to go back to work, vowing that he can only work at ZIFA under Kamambo’s presidency,” the source added.
This led to Mamutse’s fresh suspension by the ZIFA executive, which was now under interim president Gift Banda.
It has since become a labour matter between the association and their employee.
Further, FIFA had also demanded that the fraud charges against the recalled executives, including Mamutse, be dropped.
Added the source: “However, in similar fashion to what is happening in Kenya, their trial has started and it cannot be stopped as that is now a matter being handled by the country’s Prosecutor-General.”
A football analyst, who elected to be anonymous due to the sensitivity of the issue, indicated that what further made the whole case complex was the fact that the terms of office of the elected ZIFA executives came to an end in December.
“When the EGM was held, the recalled trio had a month within to appeal to Congress against the revocation and they didn’t do that.
“Then, as matters stand right now, their terms of office have also expired, while SRC and even FIFA risk having to undermine the ZIFA constitution if they reinstated them without taking into account those legalities.’’
It also emerged all football structures consulted during the weeklong mission were unanimous in rejecting a proposal for a return of the old executive, which presented a fresh conundrum for FIFA.
Return to international football
As they head back to their bases, the FIFA and CAF delegations left the hosts very optimistic. What emerged from all the discussions was that all parties are determined to push for Zimbabwe’s reinstatement, which could pave the way for the Warriors to take part in this year’s COSAFA Cup, which starts on May 27, and the World Cup qualifiers scheduled to begin in July.
The SRC, PSL and even Kamambo expressed satisfaction with the manner the talks had gone.
“Throughout the week, FIFA and CAF engaged with various stakeholders and officials involved in Zimbabwean football to gather their perspectives,” the SRC said in a statement after the engagements.
“A common sentiment among these stakeholders was the need for strong, lawful governance structures to support Zimbabwe’s return to international football, as well as a commitment to implementing necessary reforms for the sport’s future development and success in the country.
“The SRC has also been involved in productive discussions with FIFA and CAF, including COSAFA with a mutual goal of resolving the issues surrounding the Zimbabwe Football Association (ZIFA).
“The conversations have been marked by good faith from all parties and a genuine interest in advancing solutions.
“The outcomes of these discussions have been promising, with the SRC, CAF and FIFA generally agreeing on the next steps to address ZIFA’s current situation.”
Last week, Kamambo said the visit by FIFA was long overdue. “I think the engagements really helped everyone to get an appreciation of what needs to be done,’’ he said.
After missing out on the initial meeting, the duo of Sugar Chagonda, who had been on a business trip out of the country, and Banda were present, while Malandule joined via Zoom from his Bulawayo base.
However, whether Kamambo, Machana, Malandule and even Central Region’s Stanley Chapeta will be part of the cast at ZIFA when Zimbabwe is readmitted remains a matter that will be pronounced by FIFA.
■ @petrospablo1