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Raymond Jaravaza, Online Reporter
HEART stadium, which was built by Prophet Walter Magaya the Yadah FC owner, cannot host Confederations of African Football (CAF) competitions and thus will not be used by Dynamos and Ngezi Platinum Stars for their respective tournament games, Zifa said clarified.
Zifa said the stadium was inspected, following CAF directives, to try and assist the two clubs to play their home matches in the country but the facility failed to meet a number of requirements.
Dynamos will compete in the CAF Confederations Cup while Ngezi Platinum Stars will play in the CAF Champions League.
“The Zimbabwe Football Association wishes to address the recent misleading reports regarding the status of Heart Stadium and its capacity to host Ngezi Platinum Stars and Dynamos’s preliminary fixtures in their respective CAF competitions.
“The association would like to clarify that all the necessary procedures were meticulously followed by the Club Licensing Department, in accordance with CAF directives, to try and assist the clubs to play their games in Zimbabwe,” said Zifa.
Heart Stadium failed on a number of fronts thus was condemned by CAF.
“Heart Stadium was unable to produce a Stadium Safety and Security Certificate as required by the process. Consequently, the facility could not be sanctioned. Additionally, the stadium lacks a media tribune, a designated area for vulnerable people and its ablution facilities do not meet the required standards,” added Zifa.
The two local sides are frantically trying to secure venues in countries such as Zambia, Botswana and South Africa to play their home matches in upcoming CAF Confederations Cup and CAF Champions League fixtures.