Zimpapers Logo

Petros Kausiyo Deputy Sports Editor
ZIFA president Philip Chiyangwa has vowed to crack down on hooliganism and poor officiating that has been characterising the domestic game lately with the Harare businessman yesterday revealing he would head the association’s referees committee.

The move ends months of speculation on the set up of this crucial facet of the game.

There had been a number of complaints from across the board in the Premiership and in the lower divisions over questionable officiating and Chiyangwa, aware of the delicacy of the referees committee, has opted to take direct charge of the body.

The ZIFA president announced the compositions of a number of sub-committees he believes are key in helping his board in the discharge of their mandate to administer football in the country.

These include a technical development committee that will work closely with recently appointed technical director and former Harare City mentor Taurai Mangwiro in spearheading the ZIFA development policy.

Chiyangwa also named the high performance committee that is expected to work with all national teams in which former Warriors coaches Sunday Chidzambwa and Rahman Gumbo have been included.

But it was always going to be the referees committee that would grab the limelight amid serious concerns too from world soccer governing body FIFA, who during an induction course in Nyanga, gave ZIFA some guidelines on the manner in which they would set up the delicate committee.

The ZIFA president will chair the committee, where the association’s former board member finance Gladmore Muzambi bounces back into the game’s administration as the referees’ committee vice-chairman.

Muzambi had tried unsuccessfully in the last two ZIFA board elections to win back a place on the executive committee. But the former FIFA and CAF referee has continued to work in the refereeing structures as match commissioner and instructor.

The other members of the referees committee are Thabani Mkanjo, Kainos Mavhuna, Japhet Mufiri and WhaWha’s losing Central Region chairperson candidate Musa Ntonga.

Bulawayo-based official Mkanjo is making a return to the refereeing fraternity four years after he was banned by ZIFA over allegations of match-fixing.

Mkanjo was one of the local referees who were fingered in a shadowy deal in which they directly received invitations to officiate in a pre-season tournament in Indonesia.

Chiyangwa, however, believes the committee he has put in place will help restore some credibility in the local referees who have come under heavy criticism lately.

“We are also looking at incidents of hooliganism and bad officiating that have characterised our football of late.

“I have taken charge of the referees committee in order to ensure that our football is clean again.

“Everything about football is centred on refereeing and I am keen on straightening up that department and I believe that we with the experience of the people we have on that committee we can achieve our goal,’’ Chiyangwa said.

The referees committee is also expected to expedite the staging of an important FIFA course for local match officials, who have also been conspicuous by their absence from major international tournaments such as the African Cup of Nations and the African Nations Championships.

Chiyangwa’s announcement of the committee also comes ahead of a ZIFA assembly meeting likely to be held before the end of the month.

The ZIFA president’s deputy Omega Sibanda also looks set to be busy with the sub-committees, chairing four of them — the technical development committee, the human resources committee, the ad-hoc disciplinary committee and the high performance committee.

In the high performance committee, Sibanda will have the duo of former Warriors coaches Sunday Chidzambwa and Gumbo.

Harare City gaffer Moses Chunga has also found his way in that committee as has former Chapungu and Young Warriors coach Innocent Chogugudza and former referee Masimba Chihowa.

There was no change of guard, however, in the sports medicine committee that is headed by Edward Chagonda and the appeals committee led by Justice Tawanda Chitapi.

Controversial Women’s Soccer League board member Cecilia Gambe has also been retained on the interim body chaired by Elizabeth Langa.

Gambe, who faces ZIFA sanctions for alleged violent conduct against a referee at Sakubva in May, will deputise Langa on the interim committee that will hold fort in Women’s football until election are held on October 22.

“It is the considered view that ZIFA ensures an elaborate women soccer development programme that will see the girl child receive proper and due support.

“There are forces who have been causing mayhem in and around women football before and after I took office,’’ Chiyangwa said.

 

ZIFA Standing Committees:

a) Technical development committee

Omega Sibanda — Chairperson

Gibson Homela — Vice Chairperson

Members: Wisdom Simba, Tumediso Ndlovu, Nelson Matongorere, Bheki Nyoni, Rosemary Mugadza, Taurai Mangwiro (Technical Director)

b) Finance committee:

Philemon Machana — Chairperson

Members: Brighton Malandule, Kuziwa Nyabeza, Lifa Ncube, Gilbert Saika

c) Competitions committee:

Piraishe Mabhena — Chairperson

Gaylord Madhunguza — Vice Chairperson

Members: Thomas Marambanyika, Sweeney Mushonga, Farai Rutsvara

d) Human resources committee:

Omega Sibanda — Chairperson

Martin Kweza — Vice Chairperson

Members: Judah Tshuma, Patrick Hill, Lovemore Matikinyidze,

e) High performance committee:

Omega Sibanda — Chairperson

Sunday Chidzambwa — Vice Chairperson

Members: Innocent Chogugudza, Rahman Gumbo, Moses Chunga, Masimba Chihowa

Taurai Mangwiro (Technical Director)

f) Referees committee:

Philip Chiyangwa — Chairperson

Gladmore Muzambi — Vice Chairperson

Members: Kainos Mavhuna, Japhet Mufiri, Thabani Mkanjo, Musa Ntonga

g) Marketing & public relations committee:

Beaula Msarah — Chairperson

Chamu Chiwanza — Vice Chairperson

Members: Martin Kweza, Barbra Chikosi, Brightwell Kadenge

h) Futsal and beach soccer committee:

Felton Kamambo — Chairperson

i) Ad-hoc disciplinary committee:

Omega Sibanda — Chairperson

Victor Matipano — Vice Chairperson

Members: Musa Mandaza, Davison Muchena, Willard Manyengavana, Stanley Chapeta

j) Disciplinary committee:

Victor Matipano — Chairperson

Musa Ntonga — Vice Chairperson

TBA

k) Electoral committee

Justice Nhari — Chairperson

Tichafa Hove

TBA

l) Sports medicine committee

Edward Chagonda — Chairperson

TBA

m) Judiciary bodies

i) Constitutional Review Committee

Itayi Ndudzo — Chairperson

TBA

ii) Appeals committee

Justice Tawanda Chitapi — Chairperson

TBA

iii) Ethics committee

Justice Francis Bere — Chairperson

TBA

n) Interim women football committee

Elizabeth Langa — Chairperson

Cecilia Gambe — Vice Chairperson

Members: Musa Ntonga, Beaula Msarah, Rosemary Muzvidziwa