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Sikhumbuzo Moyo Senior Sports Reporter
ZIFA and the other 208 football associations across the world have been urged to adopt zero tolerance towards any form of manipulation or unlawful influencing of match results. In Circular number 1424 sent to all its associations on May 30 and headlined “Specific recommendations to combat match manipulation,” Fifa said member associations should adopt some regulatory framework to specifically address match manipulation in its statutes and have an independent judicial body in place and harmonised with the statutes of the association.

Over and above, Fifa is eager to see the political will rising to aid the fight against match-fixing so that it can be punished through the judiciary framework in the country.

“The independent judicial body of the association should be authorised to conduct proceedings into and sanction any breach of regulations mentioned in these recommendations concurrent with the provided disciplinary measure. The independent judicial body should also convene with the responsible integrity persons to determine the scope of enquiries conducted into allegations, reports or irregularities relating to potential manipulation of matches”.

Zifa does not have an independent judiciary body with the last one being the Justice Ibrahim committee whose mandate was to preside over the Asiagate cases.

Fifa said the judiciary body, once commissioned, would have the power to impose sanctions on those fingered and naturally if all procedures are followed, the world soccer motherbody would endorse those punitive measures.

“Match-fixing is a known problem in international sport. Where football is concerned, legal proceedings around the world have provided evidence that it is a global concern that can no longer be ignored. The football community must be united in response. There must be a holistic approach, collectively employed with the will and commitment to fight against corruption and to safeguard the integrity of football,” said Fifa.

Associations were urged to appoint what Fifa called a Single Point of Contact (SPOC) as a responsible person who will act in all matters related to match manipulation.

That person will among other important objectives, act as a point of contact for Fifa on any suspected or proven cases of match manipulation.

Said Fifa: “That person will also conduct, by mandate, inquiries or investigations as a fact finder for or in close co-operation with the independent judicial body of the association. He will liaise with relevant authorities such as police and national law enforcement agencies.”

The call by Fifa comes at a time when there have been reports of attempts to influence match results of at least two (for now) known Castle Lager Premiership matches that saw match officials for the two matches played in Bulawayo being changed at the last minute.
Ironically, both matches involved the same team from the capital, raising grave concerns that match manipulation could be rife in the Zimbabwean domestic game which is still smarting from the Asiagate madness.

Zifa attended a workshop to deal with match-fixing co-ordinated by Cosafa and Fifa in Victoria Falls last year.