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Sikhumbuzo Moyo, Senior Sports Reporter
DESPITE women’s football being inactive in all member states, Cosafa has decided to stage the Senior Women’s and Under-17 Championships in South Africa next month in a move that could endanger careers of players through injury.

Zifa has confirmed that the two representative sides will take part in the tournament in Nelson Mandela Bay. The seniors’ competition runs from November 3-14, while the Under-17 sides will compete from November 5-13, according to a Cosafa press release.

The Zimbabwe Super League teams as well as Division One sides were last in competitive action towards the end of October last year.

Division One teams provide most of the Under-17 players.

Scientific evidence has shown that a player needs between six to eight weeks of training to reach full match fitness followed by a couple of friendly matches for match fitness and with the dates given by Cosafa, the Mighty Warriors and the Young Mighty Warriors have less than four weeks to achieve proper physical and mental fitness to effectively compete.

“The 2020 Cosafa Women’s Championship is to take centre-stage in South Africa’s Nelson Mandela Bay from November 3-14 in what are expected to be the first women’s internationals staged on the African continent since the Covid-19 pandemic wreaked havoc with the football calendar. Cosafa also intends to stage its Women’s Under-17 Championship concurrently with the senior competition from November 5-13, providing some much-needed international competition in this crucial age-group.

“It is a welcome return to national team competition for the sides, which have endured a frustrating 2020, but with light at the end of the tunnel, the future looks a lot brighter,” read the Cosafa statement.

The Senior Women’s Championship will feature eight teams, defending champions South Africa, who will be joined by Angola, Botswana, Comoros Islands, Malawi, East African guest nation Tanzania, Zambia and Zimbabwe.

The teams will be split into two groups of four, which will battle it out for a place in the semi-finals.

The draws for both championships are scheduled for next week Tuesday.

“We are sending our representative sides,” said Zifa communications and competitions manager Xolisani Gwesela.

Cosafa secretary-general Sue Destombes did not respond to emailed questions on the wisdom of holding such tournaments against the backdrop of football inactivity in member states.