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Eddie Chikamhi

Senior Sports Reporter

THE Zimbabwe Football Restructuring Committee is set to submit their preliminary findings to the Sports and Recreation Commission for consideration following the stakeholder consultations held in the last few months as part of the fact-finding mission on problems bedevilling football administration in the country. 

Chairman of the committee, Blessing Rugara, yesterday said the consultations are set to conclude in the coming weeks, with the statement on the findings ready by next month. 

The committee will today and tomorrow hold consultative forums in Bulawayo as their work gathers momentum. 

Rugara said in a statement that the strategy is aimed at engaging the public through hearings as part of a wider consultative process following similar initiatives held in Harare with various football stakeholders.

They had engagements with athletes, clubs, PSL, technical administrators and ZIFA representatives. 

“The Zimbabwe Football Restructuring Committee (ZRC) advises the public that the Committee is currently in Bulawayo to conduct stakeholder consultation forums from tomorrow Tuesday the 14th of June 2022 to Wednesday the 15th of June 2022 at the Holiday Inn Bulawayo,” said Rugara.

“The consultation forums are expected to be completed by the end of June 2022 wherein the Committee will submit preliminary findings for discussion to the Sports and Recreation Commission by July 2022.

“In April and May, the Zimbabwe Restructuring Committee conducted four extensive closed door consultation sessions with different football stakeholders in Harare. 

“The engagements were with athletes, clubs, PSL, technical administrators and ZIFA representatives. With regard to the Bulawayo chapter, the Committee is confident of a positive outcome as evidenced by the Harare sessions.” 

Rugara said the committee was headed in the right direction after getting positive responses on the ground. Zimbabwean football is currently in doldrums following years of mismanagement, which has led to the recent suspension of ZIFA by FIFA. 

“It is apparent that there was need to conduct engagements with the generality of football stakeholders through these consultation sessions. 

“The ZRC now has a solid appreciation of the urgent matters to be addressed with regard to football administration and structures in Zimbabwe. 

“The process has also allowed for the Committee to interact with a significant number of football stakeholders. 

“The ZRC is at the final stages of its fact-finding mission. The next phase will be to review best practices and proffer applicable recommendations. 

“Notwithstanding, the Committee is happy with the progress to date and assures the nation that it will successfully conduct its mandate including availing a comprehensive document of its findings and recommendations from all the activities undertaken by December 2022.” 

The Committee was set up by the Sports and Recreation Commission as part of the strategic roadmap towards addressing the issues that have affected football management and administration in Zimbabwe. 

This committee, made up of experts in various fields of administration, sports management, legal advisory and business management, is independent of the Sports Commission and has the autonomy to discharge the functions more fully as set out in its terms of reference. 

It was appointed in line with the provisions of Section 21, as well as 19(b) and 20 (c) of the SRC Act to tackle issues of strategic nature in search for solutions in Zimbabwe’s perennial football administration problems and is not assuming the roles of the ZIFA board that was recently reinstated by the Sports Commission.

The board had been suspended on allegations which included lack of transparency with public funds, maladministration, bribery, vote-buying during election time and the sexual harassment of female referees. 

According to the ZIFA Restructuring Committee terms of reference, the principal role of the Restructuring Committee shall be to review and recommend reforms in the administration of football in Zimbabwe in the following areas:  the ZIFA constitution, ZIFA executive, junior football development, strategic plan, elections and forensic audit. The committee’s mandate is expected to run until December 2022.