The Zimbabwe Football Association (ZIFA) has launched an investigation into allegations that some players in the Young Warriors squad may have manipulated their ages to qualify for the COSAFA Under-20 tournament.
The Young Warriors, coached by Orlando Pirates youth coach Simon Marange, were scheduled to depart for Maputo, Mozambique, on Monday night in preparation for their opening match on Thursday.
Due to the absence of Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) for the Under-20s, ZIFA has been relying on information provided by the players, their coaches, and the identity documents submitted to verify their ages.
Speaking to The Herald, ZIFA technical director Jethro Hunidzarira said that their initial investigation indicated that “everything is above board.”
He said they have engaged the Ministry of Home Affairs and Cultural Heritage and the Zimbabwe School Examinations Council to assist in their inquiries. Said Hunidzarira:
We have investigated and ended up at ZIMSEC and Home Affairs verifying.
We also asked all the players to fill in affidavits stating that the documents and the information they provided were true.
We then followed up with the suspects and although their documents look okay, we have gone further and checked with ZIMSEC.
So, we are giving them (players) the benefit of the doubt and allowing them to travel but if the investigations show otherwise, whoever would have been caught will be recalled.
Unfortunately, at ZIFA there are no records so we rely on what the coaches give us and a player’s record on the FIFA Connect.
When we came in there was no proper hand-over-take-over and we had to start from scratch with no records.
Indeed, the lack of records makes it very difficult to prove that someone has tampered with his age.
The Young Warriors were drawn in the same Group A with hosts Mozambique, Eswatini, and Botswana.
Zimbabwe Under-20 Squad
Goalkeepers
Joseph Kaunda (Manica Diamonds), Michael Kubvedzi (ZPC Kariba), Tatenda Chikowero (Ngezi Platinum)
Defenders
Allan Karakadzai (Simba Bhora), Allan Chapinduka (TelOne FC), Blessed Mashonganyika (Ngezi Platinum), Kurainashe Musanhi (Crystal Palace), Mvelo Khoza (Highlanders), Morris Musamba (Bikita Minerals)
Midfielders
Kennedy Mupomba (Chelmsford City FC), Denzel Mapuwa (Green Fuel), Prince Ndlovu (Highlanders), Kingsley Mureremba (Caps United), Enock Moyo (Bikita Minerals), Tanaka Munemo (Ngezi Platinum), Nesbert Muzenda (Ngezi Platinum), Mafios Chiweta (Ajax Hotspurs), Munashe Munenzva
Forwards
Tanaka Cherera (Bury FC), Sean Mzinde (Harare City)
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