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Xolisani Gwesela

Sikhumbuzo Moyo Senior Sports Reporter
WORLD football governing body Fifa were yesterday in the eye of a storm for controversially rescheduling the preliminary competition African Zone third round, second leg tie between the Mighty Warriors and Cote d’Ivoire.

The West Africans were awarded the first leg on a 3-0 score line and Zifa slapped with a $10,400 fine after Zimbabwe failed to travel to Cote d’Ivoire to fulfil the first leg last month. Zifa failed to secure $34,000 for the Mighty Warriors’ airfares.

The Ivorians also failed to travel to Harare to fulfil the second leg initially scheduled for Rufaro Stadium on August 2 and Zifa say they were only informed of the game’s cancellation on the eve of the match on Saturday night.

Zifa spokesman Xolisani Gwesela said Fifa informed them about the non-arrival of the Ivorians when the match officials were already in Zimbabwe for the game.

Asked if Zifa had demanded clarity regarding rescheduling of the match, Gwesela said Fifa were best suited to answer.

Yesterday, Fifa’s head of World Cup and Olympic qualifiers Gordon Savic informed Zifa that the world football body had rescheduled the match for August 23, without elaborating, although indicating that the Mighty Warriors will go into the game with a 0-3 deficit.

“We are pleased to inform you of the new match date listed below: 23 August, Rufaro Stadium 1400HRS,” read Savic’s statement.

Fifa has retained the same match officials Zifa claimed had already arrived in the county to take control of the match last weekend.

From the initial Fifa statement announcing Zifa’s sanction, Fifa said Zimbabwe had violated Article six, paragraph one and paragraph three (e), Article seven paragraph one and 10 of the regulations for the Olympic football tournament.

Article six paragraph one stipulates that member associations taking part in the tournaments shall undertake to comply fully with these regulations and the decisions taken by the relevant Fifa bodies.

Paragraph three (e) reads: “Unless otherwise mentioned hereinafter, the responsibilities of each association taking part in the tournaments shall include; (e) applying for any required visas in good time from the consulate or embassy of the host country (assistance from the host association is to be sought at the earliest opportunity, if necessary).”

Article seven, which deals with withdrawals, states that all participating member associations undertake to play all their matches until eliminated from the Olympic football tournaments.

However, eyebrows have been raised why Fifa decided to give the West Africans a 3-0 advantage and not award the Mighty Warriors the match by the same score line after Ivory Coast also failed to fulfil their fixture in Zimbabwe.

Paragraph five of Article seven states that any association that withdraws after the start of the preliminary competition shall be fined 10,000 Swiss francs.

By the time of going to print, Fifa had not responded to emailed questions sent yesterday.