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Letticia Chipandu

Sikhumbuzo Moyo, Senior Sports Reporter
NETBALL players are up in arms with the Zimbabwe Netball Association (Zina) leadership after a leaked financial audit report indicated that officials used international tournaments to pay themselves huge allowances at the expense of players.

According to the audit report compiled by one Robert Kambarami and gleaned by Chronicle Sport, Zina officials led by its president Letticia Chipandu sometimes paid themselves six times more than what players got in allowances when on national duty.

The scam only came to light when Zina was forced to engage an independent auditor in line with the Sports and Recreation Commission’s demands for good corporate governance practice by national sports associations.

The SRC gave national sports associations up to April 10 to comply with the SRC Act or face deregistration.

In Kambarami’s report, for the 12 months period ending December 31, 2017, Zina is said to have collected a total of $32 639.20 in affiliation fees from the 10 Super League clubs, seven Division One clubs, 13 umpires and three workshops in Mberengwa, Mashonaland East and Harare.

The report also shows that the association embarked on four international trips; starting with Hong Kong in March 2017 during which it claimed that $3 000 went towards the 10 players and two officials’ allowances.

“It’s a lie; we were never given any allowances by Zina, but we received $500 from Chinhara (of Glow Petroleum) and a similar figure from the SRC, who asked for our bank accounts in order to deposit the money,” said one player.

The other trip was to Uganda, which the association, according to the audit report, claimed it paid the 12 players and four officials $3 600 in allowances.

“For the Uganda trip, we were each given $100, which we signed for and that means we got $1 200 as players from the association, meaning the four officials, Chipandu, the coach, team manager and medic, shared the remaining $2 400. This is modern day exploitation and relevant authorities must intervene,” said another player.

Contacted for comment, an angry Zina treasurer Petronella Gonye accused Chronicle Sport of harbouring a vendetta against the association.

“As far as I am concerned, my books are okay, it’s only you who has an agenda against us. Go back to the people who gave you that audit report and ask them to explain because I will not waste my time explaining to you,” said Gonye before switching off her mobile phone.

@skhumoyo2000