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• Kamambo, Machana finally accept suspension

Eddie Chikamhi

Senior Sports Reporter

THE suspended ZIFA board members have made a major climbdown in the stand-off with the Sports and Recreation Commission after they announced yesterday they were stepping aside to allow due processes to take place.

The suspended board members made the resolution after it emerged that three members had distanced themselves from the militant approach that had been taken by the domestic football leadership in recent weeks.

The suspended board members last week claimed they had returned to office, in defiance of the Sports Commission directive, after noting an appeal against their suspension at the Administrative Court.

They claimed the noting of the appeal would set aside the suspension. However, the Sports Commission said it was a wrong interpretation and warned of “severe consequences” if the board members went ahead with their rebellion.

It has since emerged that board members Farai Jere, Sugar Chagonda and Barbra Chikosi have decided against appealing. Jere represented the Premier Soccer League and Chikosi sat on the ZIFA board by virtue of her portfolio as Zimbabwe Women Soccer League chairperson.

Chagonda, who was in charge of marketing and competitions, was the first to distance himself from the appeal after his lawyers wrote to ZIFA last week stating his position.

With three members now having officially broken ranks with the Felton Kamambo and Philemon Machana leadership, it appears the remaining officials had no choice but to throw in the towel.

Still they took the decision grudgingly as they felt the Sports Commission was not giving them fair treatment. The suspended board members said they were taking the back seat until FIFA has given guidance.

“The ZIFA Board wishes to inform the nation that, following the lodging of its appeal with the Administrative Court, which by operation of law suspended the SRC decision to suspend permanently (dismiss) the ZIFA Board and the subsequent resumption of duty by the Board as shared in our previous press statement of 3 December 2021, the SRC has since directed that the Board remains suspended despite the appeal, in complete disregard and disobedience to the laws of Zimbabwe,” said a statement from the ZIFA board yesterday.

“While the ZIFA Board is totally convinced that its appeal did suspend the SRC decision, it cannot, however, be involved in physical confrontation with the regulator (SRC).

“As such, the ZIFA Board advises the nation that, in order to avoid unnecessary drama, it shall for now take a back seat until guidance from FIFA has been received, full prosecution of the Admin Court appeal or as and when the SRC decides to obey the laws of the land, whichever will come first.

“In this particular instance, the Board will not therefore be further involved in the day to day running of the FA in order to avoid confrontational exchanges with the SRC.”

The ZIFA board was suspended by the Sports Commission on November 16 in terms of Section 30 (i) (c) of the SRC Act. The board members faced a litany of charges that included financial mismanagement and lack of accountability in the use of public funds, with specific reference to how public funds were spent during the 2019 Africa Cup of Nations campaign.

The suspended ZIFA executive committee was made up of its president Kamambo, board member finance Machana, Bryton Malandule, Stanley Chapeta, Chagonda, Jere and Chikosi.

FIFA have since been informed about the events in Zimbabwe and have been engaging in high level consultations with the Sports Commission.

The ZIFA board last week took a confrontational approach when they announced they resumed duties and even conducted a board meeting that came up with a series of resolutions.

The board members claimed they were being “persecuted” by the Sports Commission and have since nullified the resolutions of their board meeting.

“All plans previously announced by the Board as requiring its actioning will for now be shelved as it has become practically impossible to implement the same with SRC’s continued interference and threats of “severe consequences” whatever this means.

“The ZIFA Board members have been subjected to continuous persecution over its three-year tenure at the hands of the SRC, including false criminal police reports and the Board has reasons to believe that the said “severe consequences” include but are not limited to possible malicious persecution such as arbitral and malicious arrests should the Board continue exercising its valid and legal mandate as given by the ZIFA council.

“It is our hope that those in charge of this predicament know what they are doing and as the ZIFA Board we sincerely hope such distractions by the SRC, coined as an attempt to help football, will not take the country many steps backwards regarding the state of football in Zimbabwe.

“All decisions by the SRC on football currently or in future, are therefore tantamount to interference in the affairs of football administration,” said the ZIFA statement.

ZIFA also explained their position after three board members opted against the decision to appeal.

“The Board wishes to inform that three of its seven Board Members, namely Mr Farai Jere, Mr Sugar Chagonda and Ms Barbara Chikosi have opted not to appeal the SRC decision.

“The Board is however still awaiting feedback from the three colleagues as to whether they are still part of the appeal to FIFA whose most negative consequences are more dire to the entire football spectrum than a local appeal to our Admin Courts (which by the way are part of our government).

“The Board reiterates that its appeal to the Admin Court is not, and must not be taken as an attack on our government since it is an appeal against one government agency’s decision elevated to another government arm (judiciary), and also that individuals in the SRC who purportedly made the decision are not, and must not be confused with government.

“The appeal is noted as per the provision of the Act used in the suspension of the board by SRC. As such, it is noted in compliance with the domestic laws.”