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Ashford Mamelodi

Petros Kausiyo : Deputy Sports Editor

FIFA development officer for Southern Africa Ashford Mamelodi flew into the country yesterday afternoon for a fact-finding mission aimed at understanding the underlying problems afflicting ZIFA and the administration of football in the country. Mamelodi, who is based in Botswana, wasted no time after his arrival and got down to business, meeting ZIFA president Philip Chiyangwa, his deputy Omega Sibanda, board member finance Philemon Machana and the association’s acting chief executive Joseph Mamutse.

The veteran FIFA administrator is also expected to meet with Sport and Recreation Minister Makhosini Hlongwane today as well as have time with some ZIFA assembly members including the regional chairpersons, the game’s stakeholders and the association’s creditors.

Mamelodi last night confirmed that he faces a hectic programme during his tour of duty during which he will try and get a deeper understanding on the state of football in Zimbabwe and compile a report that is needed by the new FIFA leadership in Zurich.

The honorary COSAFA secretary-general, however, dismissed perceptions in some quarters that his latest mission to Zimbabwe had been triggered by a crisis in the domestic game.

But the FIFA point man in Southern Africa made it clear that the world soccer governing body was still worried about ZIFA’s crippling debt pegged at $6 million.

Mamelodi also revealed that some of the game’s stakeholders had written to FIFA raising some complaints which he would take time to listen to “possibly on Saturday’’.

“I have already met Dr Chiyangwa and some of the members of his executive. Tomorrow I will meet with the Minister of Sport and after that we will meet at ZIFA again with Dr Chiyangwa and his executive. We are keen to know of progress on the debt servicing issues and how they are managing it.

“I will also give an audience to the stakeholders who wrote to FIFA and have raised their questions,’’ Mamelodi said.

Mamelodi said the new leadership that had been ushered into office at FIFA following the election of Gianni Infantino to the world body’s presidency was eager to understand the Zimbabwe situation and find ways to help the association.

“At the end of my visit I am expected to send a report to Zurich and FIFA will decide the next steps. As I said, the leadership at FIFA really wants to understand the situation in Zimbabwe and there was also some concern raised by stakeholders and especially creditors.

“At the end of the meetings I will also get feedback from ZIFA particularly on the debt because as FIFA we feel it takes a lot of time off football hours which are spent having to deal with litigation and it stalls football development which is key’’.

Mamelodi also paid special tribute to Zimbabweans for being resolute in the face of hardships.

“Zimbabwe is just an amazing country. The fact that Zimbabwe has qualified for AFCON tournaments for both men and women with this huge debt hanging over the association is an amazing achievement.

“One can imagine where the country would be had the association been operating on a zero balance . . . maybe qualified for the World Cup,’’ Mamelodi said.

Mamelodi, however, insisted that his mission to Zimbabwe was not “to certify any creditors’’

“We will go to ZIFA and address all the other issues before meeting with creditors and other stakeholders.

“I am not here to certify any creditor. We have visited the creditors issue before and it’s really a question of hearing what they have to say and my report will advise FIFA on the current status of football in Zimbabwe.

“I can confirm that the stakeholders wrote to FIFA wand we want to understand what their gripe is but that is just but one of the issues we will discuss in my three days in the country.

“I think what is important is for this country to fully utilise the huge potential that is there and that has been shown by the fact that the Warriors and the Mighty Warriors have qualified for major tournaments like the African Cup of Nations and the Olympics,’’ Mamelodi said.

Chiyangwa said ZIFA would issue a full statement at the end of Mamelodi’s visit when all the meetings would have been completed.

“It’s a routine visit to talk about football issues here with me and the other stakeholders. Remember Mamelodi is a FIFA Development Officer and has been coming to Zimbabwe now and again as the organisation’s representative.

“So he will be here for two days and will also meet other football stakeholders. But this time it’s more of a private visit and probably after he has left we will issue out a statement,” said Chiyangwa.