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Joseph Muchechetere

Sikhumbuzo Moyo, Senior Sports Reporter
THE Sports and Recreation Commission has distanced itself from the Sandton Project fronted by former Zifa chairman, Trevor Carelse-Juul, that seeks to destabilise Zifa operations by calling for the association’s leadership to quit.

The operation rolled into Harare on Thursday with the South African based Juul chairing a meeting that also had past presidents Vincent Pamire and Rafiq Khan in attendance.

An 11-member committee to spearhead the fight against the Zifa leadership was formed and the group was hoping to charm the SRC leadership of board chairman, Edward Siwela, and acting director general Joseph Muchechetere.

However, in an interview in Gweru yesterday, the SRC head of secretariat distanced themselves from the cabal and said the Commission fully believes in the internal conflict resolutions mechanisms at Zifa to deal with any crisis if ever there was any.

“Those guys who met in Harare have a right to do so because they are football stakeholders but it will be wrong for them to think that we are in agreement with their action. As SRC we are fully aware that National Sports Associations, Zifa included, must have self-correcting mechanism and as for Zifa those are Zifa members to make those corrective measures. It’s them, the members who should direct how Zifa should be run,” said Muchechetere.

He said the SRC is in constant communication with Zifa and they will soon be meeting them over the matter.

“We are aware of what has been alleged to be Zifa’s leadership and constitutional crisis and naturally we have written to them to furnish us with what exactly is the situation and soon we must be meeting. We stressed, however, that they must always adhere to the tenets of their own constitution but know that they met in December where they postponed their meeting and met again early this year, which is good as it shows that they are following their constitution but to say we are in agreement with what transpired yesterday (Thursday) that will be wrong,” said Muchechetere.

Muchechetere said Zifa remains an independent structure subservient to the SRC and an affiliate to Fifa.

Meanwhile, Fifa have also refused to be drawn into the fiasco with the world football motherbody telling Chronicle Sport that its position has not changed.

“For the time being we can only refer to previous statement,” said a Fifa spokesperson in reference to their earlier confirmation that they had received the Zifa Congress resolution and were still studying them.