The chairman of the Sports and Recreation Commission (SRC) Gerald Mlotshwa, has vowed that corrupt officials will never be allowed to control football in Zimbabwe again.
Mlotshwa was speaking on Tuesday at the unveiling of the normalisation committee to manage ZIFA’s affairs until elections are held for new board members in 2024. He said:
Never again should our football become a victim of unscrupulous administrators and societal miscreants, driven by self-centeredness and egotism as has been the case over the years.
The SRC wishes to express its gratitude for the patience and understanding exhibited by all genuine stakeholders in football.
We are acutely cognisant of the inconvenience, pain, and frustration that the suspension from international football has elicited.
Your endurance has not been in vain. Today marks the genesis of a golden era for Zimbabwean football.
Please accompany us for the remainder of this journey. It promises to be exhilarating, rewarding, and fulfilling.
Mlotshwa also CAF and FIFA for engaging in productive with SRC resulting in the establishment of the ZIFA normalisation committee. He said:
The SRC wishes to extend its sincere appreciation to FIFA and CAF.
Ever since the suspension of ZIFA’s Executive Committee by the SRC, we have been engaged in relentless dialogue.
Many doubted the feasibility or authenticity of such an endeavor.
Our presence here today (Tuesday), however, stands as a testament to this fact.
The vigorous debates we engaged in to devise solutions for ZIFA’s troubles never lost sight of our respective statutes and the need for their adherence to fulfilling our responsibilities.
FIFA unveiled a four-member normalisation committee chaired by former Dynamos player and board chairman, Lincon Mutasa who will be assisted by former Mighty Warriors player and coach Rosemary Mugadza, ex-Highlanders player Sikumbuzo Ndebele, and lawyer Nyasha Sanyamandwe.
The normalisation committee was established this week after FIFA lifted Zimbabwe’s suspension from international football on Monday.
FIFA banned Zimbabwe from international football in 2022 after the SRC had suspended the ZIFA board led by Felton Kamambo in 2021 on allegations of corruption, and sexual abuse of female referees, among other charges.
In 2022, former secretary general of the ZIFA Referees Committee, Obert Zhoya was handed a five-year ban from all football activities by FIFA.
This was after he was found guilty of abusing his position to sexually harass female referees.
Zhoya was fined 20 000 Swiss Francs by FIFA’s adjudicatory chamber.
More: Pindula News