Zimpapers Logo

Sports Reporter
ZIFA — under pressure to address a host of queries that have seemed to characterise their governance of the game lately — are this afternoon expected to set the tone for 2018 by outlining their roadmap at a Press conference in the capital.

The ZIFA leadership have in the last few weeks been increasingly concerned with what appear to be spirited campaigns by detractors to paint them as a house in shambles.

There have also been signals emanating from within the domestic football family that seemed to question their authority on the game.

And in keeping with the tradition of the craze that characterises the build-up to the election season at ZIFA, a slew of allegations have been levelled against the incumbent management including claims that the soccer mother body were a subject of an intense probe by FIFA for financial impropriety.

This is despite ZIFA having produced their audited accounts, which are to be tabled at their annual meeting next month. Although the ZIFA management were not discussing much ahead of the presser, it has emerged that they could give a part from laying their roadmap and give an update on the battle that has erupted between the association and their former chief executive Jonathan Mashingaidze.

Mashingaidze stands accused of fleecing ZIFA funds and trying to undermine the authority of the executive he served until the expiry of his contract in April last year.

The former ZIFA strongman has been laying a litany of accusations against the board and telling anyone who has cared to listen to him that his impending ban by the soccer mother body would not hold water.

It is ZIFA’s contention that Mashingaidze misappropriated more than $700 000 and entered into some dubious deals that left creditors piling up at the association’s doorsteps armed with writs for attachment of property.

“During the press conference, the ZIFA leadership will also clarify on the cracks that are being said to have emerged in their boardroom over such issues like the Highlanders elections.

“There is also a worrying trend by people who do not fully understand the ZIFA statutes to always rush and scream that ZIFA president Philip Chiyangwa and his team are fluting the constitution at every turn.

“There also appears to be a deliberate or otherwise misunderstanding and misrepresentation of what ZIFA’s audited accounts stare stating.

“As normally happens when campaigning for elections gets underway, a lot of accusations fly from all corners most of them unfounded as people seek to position themselves for places in the administration.

“So there is a strong likelihood that this Press conference will address all the burning issues and also outline the roadmap that ZIFA have for development of the game in 2018.

“The year is not just about elections, football must be seen to be growing and the national team will resume the campaign for qualification to the 2019 AFCON and all that is the mandate of the board.

“So it seems ZIFA will not only use this media briefing to underline their authority but spell to the nation the direction football will take this year,’’ sources said.

ZIFA are preparing for an elective annual meeting this year and the board is expected to roll out a full criteria which will be the template that the electoral committee will use.