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Harare Bureau
SPORT, Arts and Culture Minister Andrew Langa said yesterday he was disgusted by bungling Zifa’s failure to resolve on time their dispute with former Warriors coach Valinhos and revealed that government would now lobby Fifa to rescind their decision to expel Zimbabwe from the 2018 World Cup soccer qualifiers over the debt.

Langa, who had been taking a middle of the road approach to the problems at Zifa, was also criticised for claiming that he was not aware of Zimbabwe’s suspension from the World Cup hours after Fifa had broken the story to the global audience.

The Minister implored the association’s top-policy making body, the Zifa assembly to act on the massive administrative boob that has cost the country a chance to stake a claim for a place at the 2018 World Cup in Russia.

In a statement Langa also revealed that he had summoned the Sport and Recreation Commission and Zifa to give him a detailed report next week over the case in which the association ignored chilling warnings by Fifa that Zimbabwe risked expulsion from the World Cup if the Valinhos labour dispute was not resolved.

Zimbabwe’s Warriors were on Thursday kicked out of the draw for the qualifiers for the 2018 World Cup because Zifa failed to settle a $60,000 debt owed to Valinhos for seven years. Langa said he was hopeful, a meeting between the government, Fifa and Zifa could result in the drastic action take on by the world soccer governing body being rescinded.

“On its part, my Ministry has extended an invitation to Fifa to visit Zimbabwe with a view to ensuring that our mutual interests are protected. We are aware that Fifa has nothing to benefit from a situation where the game is brought into disrepute, or where there is stunted growth or even retrogression in the development of the sport.

“ It’s our hope, therefore, that Fifa will come forward to work with us on long-term solutions to the challenges we are facing,’’he said.

Langa said Zifa needed to accept that they had failed the nation in the manner they handled a very sensitive matter with such dire consequences like the expulsion of the country from the World Cup, which has severe ramifications on the careers of players. Although the Minister has come under increasing pressure to disband the Zifa board, Langa warned against making “rash decision” and said government would respect the fact that the mandate to suspend or fire football administrators lay with the Zifa Assembly.

In his statement Langa also gave his suggestions on dealing with the rot at Zifa.

“The Ministry of Sport, Arts and Culture yesterday learnt with great disappointment of the expulsion of the country, represented by Zifa, from participating in the 2018 Fifa World Cup Qualifiers. That this came as a result of an apparent bungling by Zifa makes it more intolerable and repugnant. Neither the Sports and Recreation Commission nor the Ministry were made aware of the disciplinary action taken against Zifa, the result of which was the imposition of a fine and the granting of the grace period to pay the creditor (Jose Claudinei Georgini) his dues,” said Langa.