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Grace Chingoma Senior Sports Reporter

THE SPORT Commission have gone a gear up, in their efforts to clean domestic football, by appointing a nine-member committee to restructure the game, paving the way for elections of the ZIFA board, to be held at the end of next year.

SRC chairman, Gerald Mlotshwa, said the ZIFA Restructuring Committee, which was appointed yesterday, is not a replacement of the suspended ZIFA board.

The committee will also, among other things, ensure a forensic audit of ZIFA finances is conducted and, where financial misconduct is found to have happened, they will forward the cases to the relevant agencies in the country.

Mlotshwa insisted the committee will not run the day-to-day operations of the football governing body.

Domestic football will continue to be run by the ZIFA Secretariat, led by Xolisani Gwesela, who will work closely with the SRC.

The latest developments, in which the SRC again insisted they were not concerned about a possible Zimbabwe suspension by FIFA, effectively ends the stubborn resistance of the suspended ZIFA board members.

The reality is that, no matter what happens from now, they will never come back into office.

The committee’s mandate is to review the game’s structures, constitution as well as to conduct a forensic audit of the association’s finances.

Elections for the ZIFA board will have to be held by the end of next year.

The SRC named a committee of seven men, and two women, who will undertake matters of a strategic nature, as outlined in their terms of reference, in line with the provisions of Section 21, 19(b), and 20(c) of the SRC Act.

Founder and chairman of Circle Capital Group (CCG), an Africa focused investment and advisory firm, Blessing Rugara, will lead the committee.

The other members and leading sports expert, Tommy Sithole, who is also the Zimpapers board chairman, and has worked for the International Olympic Committee, in the past.

Former Zimbabwe Olympic Committee chief executive and International Federation World Rowing development manager, Anna Mguni, banker Desmund Ali, lawyer Rudo Mugandani, former SRC Matabeleland North Provincial Coordinator Brian Busani Moyo and former CAPS United administrator, Joyce Kapota, are the other committee members.

Doves Holdings General Manager Marketing Joel Gombera and CAPS United legend Charles “Raw Meat” Sibanda complete the list of the members.

The committee has vastly-experienced members, drawn from different portfolios in the corporate world, banking system, former football administrators, as well as former football players.

The committee’s term of office will run up to December 21, 2022.

Mlotshwa said the committee’s principal role will be to review, recommend and, upon approval by the SRC, implement reforms in the administration of football with particular focus on the ZIFA constitution, the executive, junior football, development, women’s football, rebranding of ZIFA, strategic plan and election roadmap.

The operations of the Committee will be funded by the Sports Commission.

Mlotshwa said FIFA were fully briefed on these terms of reference.

“I think a (possible) FIFA ban has always been on the cards from the day we opened our mouths and said that we were suspending the ZIFA board,” he said.

“As you know FIFA statutes do oblige FIFA itself to sanction a member in the case where that member association is interfered with, by a third party, for whatever reason.

“Those are the FIFA statutes but I think the position we have taken as SRC is, you know FIFA is FIFA, let them proceed in accordance with their statutes, and do what they need to do or consider proper,

“As SRC we will proceed in terms of our own Act and laws of Zimbabwe, and do what it is we need to do. “FIFA knows exactly what we are doing, they had these terms of reference for two weeks now, so nothing we are doing here or saying, will come as a surprise to them at all.” The committee’s mandate, according to Mlotshwa, was clear.

“The Restructuring Committee shall review the ZIFA Constitution, including the rules and regulations thereof, in order to reform the governance structures of ZIFA, in particular, the election and composition of the ZIFA Congress.

“The ZIFA Constitution, in order to entrench best practices in respect of the clear demarcation of functions between the ZIFA Executive Committee and the ZIFA Secretariat, as well as the Congress itself.

“Junior football development review and reform junior football structures in the country to ensure for the sustainable development of football at grassroots levels in Zimbabwe.

“It shall ensure, in particular, that provision is made for the representation of junior football on the ZIFA Board and the establishment of a junior football league for both males and females.

“Women’s football review and reform women’s football structures in the country to ensure for the sustainable development of football at grassroots levels in Zimbabwe.

“It shall ensure, in particular, that provision is made for the removal of discrimination in the treatment and remuneration of women viz their male counterparts in all aspects of the game, particularly with those teams representing the country.

“Robust provisions should be developed for the protection of all females involved in football from sexual harassment and other forms of gender-based violence.”

However, the SRC chairman emphasised the new committee was not going to replace the axed ZIFA board, but to review the outlined football structures.

The ZIFA secretariat will continue with their day-to-day running of football in the country.

The committee is further expected to undertake a comprehensive rebranding exercise, involving all stakeholders in the game, by a newly-elected ZIFA Board.

“The Committee will develop a strategic plan with a four-year implementation cycle for consideration, and if deemed fit, for adoption by a newly-created ZIFA Board; which plan shall include a sustainable funding model for football in Zimbabwe.

“The committee will prepare the groundwork for ZIFA elections at all administrative levels of the game, in accordance with a new constitution, with the last of these elections being the election of a new ZIFA Board before 31st December 2022.

“The committee will carry out a forensic audit of the finances of ZIFA for the period 1st December 2018 to 30th November 2021, in order to determine whether there has been any activity of a criminal nature, particularly that related to exchange control violations and money laundering and if so, to file the necessary criminal report with the police,” said Mlotshwa.

The committee’s chairperson Rugara, who also attended the virtual media briefing, together with other Sports Commission board members said he was excited to be given a mandate.

“I am excited to start a very important task of helping restructure football in our country.

“This is very important, we take it seriously, and we are very excited to be able to participate in this manner,” said Rugara.