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Government and world soccer governing body only playing supporting acts as the scandal that rocked the domestic game draws to its conclusion.

Chris Eaton, Fifa head of security, told the media in Harare last night that it was up to Zifa, through their Independent Ethics Committee, to decide what to do with those who would have been found guilty of any offences during the four years that the local game was tainted by match-fixing allegations during the Warriors’ controversial tours to Asia.
Eaton and Fifa investigations officer Terry Stean have been in the country since Saturday as part of the world body’s on-going global probe and fight against match-fixing and illegal betting.

During the three-day visit the Fifa head of security had a chance to meet with Zifa’s investigating committee led by Ndumiso Gumede, the Zimbabwe Republic Police, government officials, the Sport and Recreation Commission, Criminal Investigating Department and the Anti Corruption Commission.
Last night Eaton faced the local media as he concluded his tour of duty and reiterated that his visit to Zimbabwe was not to institute any punishments on those who were implicated and maintained that the recommendations on the punishments would have to come from Zifa, via the Independent committee, which will be set up by the association.

Eaton said match-fixing was a new wave of international crime that had also affected Zimbabwe and reckoned that Zifa could only avoid a repeat of such scams like Asiagate if the government promulgated laws that close the loopholes which were being exploited by match fixers.
The Australian said he was satisfied with the commitment and the assurances that Police Commissioner General Augustine Chihuri and his lieutenants had given him to helping Zifa bring to finality the Asiagate probe.

Eaton said the police were the competent body to deal with any criminal offences emanating from the Asiagate scam and welcomed the decision by Zifa to look for respectable people to sit on the independent committee that will interview those implicated and recommend actions on those they find guilty.
He also noted that Gumede’s probe team may have made some errors “because they are not trained police officers” but commended them “for a job well done”.

“I admire the committee for the responsibility that they took in investigating match fixing, they are not trained policemen but they had the courage, people who are in match fixing are committing a crime and have we have to take action.
“People who are fixing matches are criminals who do not deserve respect or sympathy, they are criminals who are manipulating gamblers today and taking advantage of football’s popularity and the vast amounts of money that have been invested in football and I want to congratulate the new Zifa board for taking the bold steps which they did and we are now waiting for Zimbabwe to rise again.

“Fifa will not recommend penalties, it is for Zifa to do that and institute their own corrective measures.
“I will not say what the disciplinary committee of Zifa will do or say but I look forward to good strong penalties,” Eaton said.
Eaton said he would also thoroughly go through the Gumede report and investigate any areas that may have had a direct impact on Fifa as well as any other associations that would have been fingered in the Zifa dossier.

“My job is to investigate and we also have some information that we have been sharing with Zifa.
“I have been in police before and I worked with Commissioner Chihuri when he was on the Interpol board and from his reaction today I think he is committed to have his staff assist on this matter.
“My judgment is that they (ZRP) are serious but there are limitations because some of the inquiries involved things that happened outside the country in areas where Wilson Raj Perumal had infiltrated.

“Chihuri has said Zimbabwe will engage Interpol and we are also available to assist,” Eaton said.
Football Associations, Eaton also said, had been founding wanting in their failure to be proactive when dealing with some match agents whom he felt led to their teams being manipulated.
“Federations have been lacking due diligence on people who come wanting to work with football and that is how Perumal manipulated them because nobody checked his background and whether he had an idea about football,” Eaton said.

Eaton, who was flanked by Stean, Zifa board member competitions Benedict Moyo, Elliot Kasu, the Zifa board member finance and the association’s chief executive Jonathan Mashingaidze, said he would recommend that Zifa should retain an independent ethics committee in their structures.

“The decision to have an independent committee is applauded.
“I have not been told of the names but the fact that it will have a retired judge, retired policemen, a lawyer and respected former football administrators shows the independence of the commission.
“It must never have anyone from the Zifa board or the current football administration,” Eaton said.

Kasu also used the same platform to reveal that Zifa “will have zero tolerance to match fixing” as they were determined to cleanse the local game.
“We investigated under very difficult conditions and also faced criticism.

“Our report was not meant for the media but somehow it leaked but the board has discussed it and ratified our recommendations.
“The major reason for the delay in naming the independent commission was that we were still consulting widely and we have also referred the criminal aspects to the police and those of corruption to the Anti Corruption Commission.

“We needed guidance from Fifa so that we cross-pollinate and share notes and the lessons that we learnt and as Zifa we have said there is zero tolerance to match-fixing,” Kasu said.