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Sikhumbuzo Moyo, Senior Sports Reporter
THE Sports and Recreation Commission (SRC) will soon advise the nation on the way forward following the suspension of the Zifa board amid calls for the supreme board to reconstitute its charges to avoid Fifa’s wrath.

The Felton Kamambo-led Zifa executive committee was suspended on Tuesday over a litany of charges, which include insubordination, disregard of national laws, flouting of the association’s constitution, misuse of Fifa funds for grassroots development as well as sexual harassment of female referees.

“We will soon advise of the way forward after completing all internal processes,” said the SRC.

A former Zifa executive committee member said while the SRC’s move could be in the interest of the national game, its decision to include operational issues like how Zifa used Fifa funds or its treatment of women national teams is likely to be seen as Government interference by Fifa and lead to Zimbabwe being banned from international football.

The former executive committee member, who spoke on condition he is not named, said the SRC had a very strong case against Zifa, especially the sexual harassment of female referees, insubordination after Zifa failed to provide a report on how they used public funds during the 2019 Afcon finals in Egypt, as well as disregard of national laws on Covid-19.

“Fifa has always been clear that football statutes cannot supersede national laws.

Poor female referees were abused, which is a criminal act in terms of our national laws, Covid-19 containment measures are national laws, and if Zifa disregarded them, it cannot then be seen as interference when the Government acts.

“However, when you now bring in issues to do with how money from Fifa was used when Fifa themselves are not complaining, especially having been here and certifying the Zifa accounts, it becomes interference,” said the former executive committee member.

He said it wasn’t too late for the SRC to revise its charge sheet and leave out everything that will set it on a collision course with Fifa and eventually prevent the Warriors from going to the Afcon finals.

“I am certain that if we use the sexual harassment allegations, disregard of Covid-19 protocols and insubordination, Fifa won’t ban us because Fifa doesn’t want criminals near football administration. If SRC remains adamant then the suspended guys will have the last laugh at the end of the day, no matter how long we remain banned once their suspension is lifted, they will assume their duties first before elections are held.

But if we have the support of Fifa and a normalisation committee is chosen and endorsed by them, then be assured that none of those guys will ever enter any football office again.

In fact, some of them might be guests in our prisons,” he said.