Football in crisis . . . Requisite Zifa structures not in place Phillip Chiyangwa
Phillip Chiyangwa

Phillip Chiyangwa

Ricky Zililo Senior Sports Reporter
ZIMBABWEAN football is in crisis as Zifa directs all its focus on the unfolding match-fixing scandal and neglecting setting up committees that will ensure the smooth running of the game when Premier Soccer League season starts next week.

Today marks 108 days since the Zifa executive committee led by Phillip Chiyangwa was ushered into office, but committees of key organs that drive football have still not been appointed.

Chiyangwa dissolved all committees, which include finance, audit, competitions, technical and development, referees, Futsal and beach soccer as well as the player status committee, when he was voted into office on December 5.

He announced that his deputy Omega Sibanda would head the Futsal and beach soccer committee and administration, with Felton Kamambo chairing the player status committee, while Piraishe Mabhena was given the competitions committee.

Edzai Kasinauyo, who has since been suspended on allegations of match-fixing, was appointed chairman of the referees and technical and development committees.

However, the heads of these committees have been working on their own.

Chiyangwa reacted angrily when asked about the appointment of committee members when reached for comment yesterday.

“Iwe, iwe (you, you), I’m busy now. I don’t have time to talk about that. Call me after two weeks,” he said before dropping his phone.

This means all league programmes for the Premiership and the four regional Division One leagues will start in early April with the requisite Zifa structures not in place.

Who then will appoint referees to handle PSL and lower league matches when the season starts?

The referees and technical and development committees are crucial as all match officials report to the organs.

Zifa also failed to organise fitness training for all match officials last week because of the chaos the national association finds itself in despite the board meeting almost every two weeks.

The technical and development committee also has to inspect the various stadia to gauge if they are compliant with Zifa requirements, but no such inspections have taken place since the committee is non-existent.

Zifa were saved blushes by the suspension of Masvingo United for taking football matters to court in relation to their protest over Mutare City Rover’s promotion.

Masvingo had accused Mutare of using unregistered players and approached the courts to stop the Mutare City Council team from being declared winners of the Eastern Region Division One League. Masvingo failed to raise $4,000 for their matter to be heard by the Zifa player status committee resulting in Mutare City winning their case by default.

Had Masvingo paid the money, Zifa would have been embarrassed as there is no player status committee in place.

Most clubs have been playing friendly matches and the question is who has been sanctioning the appointment of referees.

Who will resolve player disputes since a committee meant to deal with that is non-existent ahead of the start of the 2016 season on April 2.

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