WORLD football governing body Fifa is today expected to lift Zimbabwe’s suspension imposed in February last year to pave way for the Warriors’ inclusion in the 2026 World Cup African Zone qualifying draw scheduled for Cotonou, Benin, tomorrow.
The expected decision follows a series of successful round of engagements between representatives from the Zurich-based organisation and the Sports and Recreation Commission (SRC).
The most recent deliberations were held last week and were graced by representatives from the continental body Caf and Cosafa culminated in the SRC lifting the suspension of the Zifa board, to fulfil one of the main conditions set by Fifa for the lifting of the country’s suspension.
The lifting of the suspension of the Zifa board members was only a formality as their term of office has already expired while they were recalled by the Zifa congress in April last year when Gift Banda was appointed acting president of the association.
While all the parties have been keeping their deliberations under wraps, sources told NewsDay Sport yesterday that Fifa had resolved to lift the country’s suspension and the official communication was imminent.
“Fifa has lifted Zimbabwe's suspension from international football. What’s left only is the formal communication,” the source, who requested anonymity, claimed.
The development comes after Fifa director Member Associations Africa, Gelson Fernandes earlier on Sunday provided the clearest indication yet of Zimbabwe’s imminent return by confirming the positive steps made to pave the way for the country’s return to the international football family.
“A week of intense work in two countries that deserve our full attention. Zimbabwe and Namibia. Development is Fifa’s priority. We must ensure that this can be achieved in the right conditions everywhere, and there is a clear desire for the ball to roll,” wrote Fernandes on Twitter.
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The world football governing body is also set to unveil a Normalisation Committee that will oversee Zifa reforms and prepare the ground for elections at the local football mother body.
While there finally appears to be some light after Zimbabwe’s lengthy isolation from international football, it has emerged that former Zifa president Felton Kamambo and some members of his executive committee made a last minute bid to stop the lifting of the country’s suspension by Fifa.
A day after receiving the letter from SRC announcing the lifting of their suspension, Kamambo and his team, who were against the move by Fifa to appoint a normalisation committee, wrote to Caf secretary-general Veron Mosengo-Omba setting their own conditions for the lifting of Zimbabwe’s suspension.
Kamambo argued that the lifting of their suspension should be unconditional, while they also wanted SRC to drop court cases against them even though the matter is now being handled by the Prosecutor-General’s Office.
“Condition 1: Unconditional reinstatement of the entire Zifa board, which was in place on 21 November 2021 — this has not been done. A letter given to us through email by SRC yesterday is a conditional reinstatement that claims that such was done in cognisance of an 2022 EGM [extra-ordinary general meeting] by Zifa, which was ruled unconstitutional by before it even occurred.
“Condition number 2: Withdrawal of court case against suspended board and GS [general-secretary Joseph Mamutse] — there is presently no such. A letter given to us by SRC to the prosecution authority penned by Src is simply saying SRC is no longer the complainant, but doesn’t withdraw the same. It also lacks case number, which is a proper reference of a case. Hence, it could be for another non-related case. Further, it has wrong names and thus seem deliberate and smacks of bad motives. Finally, we went to court on June 21, 2023 after the letter was stamped by the prosecution on June 19, 2023 and SRC was there through their employee Mr (Sebastian) Garikai pushing for the matter to go ahead and the matter was subsequently remanded to July 22, 2023 and remains live and unwithdrawn,” Kamambo said.
The former Zifa boss also argued that the Zifa Restructuring Committee had not been disbanded it completed its mandate in January when they handed over their findings to the SRC.
“Condition number 3: Disbandment of the Zifa restructuring committee — this was not done while SRC claims the committee is no longer there after it completed its mission, its products and findings have not been publicly withdrawn and therefore remains in force. We have not been notified of the same and that its results and recommendations will not be implemented.”
Kamambo also demanded for the reinstatement of Mamutse as well as for them to be given an opportunity to confirm to Fifa themselves that all the conditions had been met.
However, Kamambo’s attempts to block Zimbabwe’s reinstatement, which would have cost the Warriors an opportunity to participate in the upcoming World Cup qualifiers, appear to have hit a brick wall.
