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Caf president Issa Hayatou

Sikhumbuzo Moyo Senior Sports Reporter—
ZIMBABWE’S bid to host the 2017 African Nations Cup is in danger after Caf president Issa Hayatou was over the weekend quoted saying the rights will only be awarded to a country that has hosted the football tournament before. Zifa are however going ahead and will submit their application before the September 30 deadline. The local football mother-body has already approached Botswana for a joint bid. Yesterday the Botswana Football Association confirmed the joint interest and have since mandated their chief executive officer Keith Masters to approach their government for the requisite guarantees.

BFA vice president, technical, Tariq Babitseng confirmed receipt of Zimbabwe’s proposal.
He said they immediately instructed Masters, to sound out their government on whether they would back the association should they partner with Zimbabwe on the application.

“We received the letter from Zifa on Monday and we have asked Keith Masters to see if government would buy into it should we agree to Zimbabwe’s proposal,” Babitseng said.
He added: “We do not have a problem with that.”

Speaking to Supersport’s Blitz channel on Saturday after awarding the 2019, 2021 and 2023 Afcon to Cameroon, Cote d’Ivoire and Guinea respectively, the long serving Caf president said only previous hosts will be awarded the 2017 football jamboree. Hayatou’s utterances will certainly be met with strong resistance from those countries, including Zimbabwe that are bidding for 2017.

Zifa communications manager Xolisani Gwesela said despite the utterances, Zimbabwe will still submit their bid and remained confident that they will land the hosting rights.
“Caf wrote letters to all its associations inviting them to submit bids for the 2017 slot and as it is, we are in possession of that letter and we will therefore go ahead and submit the bid. We have in fact approached our neighbours Botswana for a joint bid,” said Gwesela.

Caf invited bids following the withdrawal of Libya due to civil strife.
Gwesela said Zifa meets all the requirements, chief among them being a government guarantee which the Minister of Sport, Arts and Culture, Andrew Langa has already assured.
Hayatou, who came into office on March 10, 1988, has always been accused of being anti-Southern Africa as most decisions have often been against Southern African nations or football clubs, at the same time showing his soft spot for West Africa and North Africa.

Zimbabwe faces challenges from previous hosts Ghana as well as Ethiopia, Kenya, Tanzania, Algeria and now Zambia following their failed bid for the 2019 event.
Ghana have played host to the Nations Cup four times, first in 1963, 1978, 2000 as joint hosts with Nigeria and 2008. Ethiopia were hosts in 1962, 1968 and 1976 while Algeria were the 1990 hosts.

South Africa is the only southern African country that has played host to the Nations Cup finals.
Zimbabwe previously won the right to host the Nations Cup in 2000 but the rights were taken away at the last minute and awarded to Ghana and Nigeria.
Zifa also submitted a bid for the 2010 edition of Afcon and the 2015 Fifa Women’s World Cup but both were unsuccessful.