2019 AFCON: Zimbabwe to investigate early exit poor of team
Harare, Zimbabwe (PANA) - The Sports and Recreation Commission (SRC) has ordered the Zimbabwe Football Association (ZIFA) to provide a detailed account of funds used at the 2019 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) following allegations of abuse of the those monies.
On 30 June, Zimbabwe exited the African showpiece after a humiliating defeat to the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) that saw them lose 0-4.
As previously reported by PANA, while the Warriors performed badly in their final match, controversies surrounding indiscipline, bonus rows and threats to boycott grabbed local and international headlines.
“The Sports and Recreation Commission (SRC) is acutely aware of the controversies surrounding the Warriors (Zimbabwe’s national men’s soccer team) AFCON Campaign which, sadly, came to an inglorious and abrupt end on Sunday 30th June 2019,” wrote SRC director general Prince Mupazviriho in a letter obtained by PANA dated 3 July, 2019 to ZIFA.
These controversies, it said, give rise to a prima facie case of gross incompetencies on the part of ZIFA.
In that regard, the SRC has issued 11 demands to ZIFA which mainly revolve around its usage of funds meant for supporting the Warriors' campaign.
Some of the demands from the SRC are to detail all funds received by it from FIFA and CAF and/or any other football body recognised by FIFA during the period 16 December, 2018 to 30 June, 2019.
It is also to detail all funds disbursed to members of its Board during the same period, and the purposes for each such disbursements to the member concerned.
ZIFA is to detail all funds received by it from government, and members of the public, during the same period.
It is to explain the source of funding to charter a plane to Cairo for its members and supporters of the Warriors and to provide the rationale for this decision in light of allegations that the Warriors had outstanding emoluments.
This letter comes as the government of Zimbabwe is reportedly planning to set a Commission of Inquiry to investigate the Warriors' early exit.
The Commission of Inquiry is being considered to look into an alleged match fixing scandal that involved Congolese businessman and politician Moise Katumbi and Warriors' goalkeeper Elvis Chipezeze.
The allegations were made by Madagascan media on 3 July claiming that Katumbi attempted to sway Chipezeze to under-perform, taking advantage of the latter and his team not receiving their bonuses.
On 28 June, each Warriors player had been paid US$17,500 with an outstanding balance of US$6,500 in fees owed to them. The players then threatened not to fulfill their must win match against the DRC until the balance was settled.
As a result, China-based striker Nyasha Mushekwi stepped up and promised to pay out all the balances from his own pocket and with that the Warriors returned to training after initially boycotting.
-0- PANA TZ/MA 6July2019
