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Mzingaye Sibanda Sports Reporter
ZIFA have been challenged to solve their in-house problems so as to avoid scaring away potential sponsors. The call was made by a South Africa-based Zimbabwean Mthulisi Sibanda who was part of a four-member group that sponsored the Easter Holidays juniors football tournament held at Emakhandeni grounds.

Sibanda said the start of the two-day tournament he jointly sponsored with Nhlanhla Ndlovu,  Elias Ngoma and Albert Ali who are all based in South Africa, was delayed because of the confusion in Zifa.

He said referees arrived late for the tournament because they had earlier on been instructed not to officiate at the Zifa Bulawayo province sanctioned football tourney.

“When you have dirty dishes in your house you clean them before the visitors come in so that they don’t see the dirt. It is not good for sport when sponsors discover that as an association administering sport you are confused. These are some of the things that scare away sponsors. We engaged Zifa well in advance and they should have sorted out their differences,” said Sibanda.

He  said the mother body  should promote grassroots sport development instead of engaging in petty politics even over events that promote and expose talent.

“It’s good to see the boys enjoying, so let’s try and work together to benefit the boys and promote talent in our city, we learn from mistakes and we hope next year we are going to have an even better organised tournament,” said Sibanda.

Zifa Bulawayo province vice chairman Francis Ntutha said the referees’ late arrival at the venue of the tournament was beyond their control. Concerned about the absence of referees, he said, they as a province engaged Zifa vice president Omega Sibanda who assisted in resolving the issue.

“There was nothing we could do, the referees were having a meeting and I had to call the vice president for the referees to be released,” he said.

Ntutha praised the South Africa-based quartet for ploughing back to the community and encouraged other Zimbabweans based outside the country to emulate the good gesture.

“It’s always our goal to get sponsors so that we have more of such tournaments. We would like to encourage others out there to emulate this example,” he said.

Bantu Rovers won the tournament beating Highlanders 5-4 on penalties after the match ended 1-1 in regulation time.

Emakhandeni, EM Sports, Highlanders, Bantu Rovers, Chicken Inn, LMC Academy and Mpumelelo were the eight clubs that took part in the knockout competition.

Bantu Rovers walked away with a complete kit and a trophy while Highlanders were awarded soccer balls and a runners-up trophy.
Young Tshintsha Guluva star Thembelihle Mthunzi was the toss of the tourney scooping the top goalscorer award, the best striker and the Player of the Tournament award.