HARARE – President Robert Mugabe might have hosted World Boxing Council (WBC) welterweight champion Charles Manyuchi at a recent banquet and even given him a $50 000 reward but this has not stopped the overzealous Zimbabwe Revenue Authority (Zimra) from holding onto the boxer’s passport.
Manyuchi successfully defended his world boxing title by beating Italian Gianculla Frezza into submission in the sixth round but on his return, July 22, Zimra initially confiscated his trophy demanding that he pays duty for it.
They later on released the trophy on condition that the boxer surrenders his passport. Twenty days later the revenue authority still have his passport and this he claims is disrupting his preparations for upcoming fights.
“To be honest, I don’t know why they are doing this to me. They still have my passport and they are showing no signs of releasing it. They want me to declare the trophy I won but I don’t remember them confiscating trophies and medals that were won and brought into the country by other sportspersons before me.
“Why didn’t they confiscate Kirsty Coventry’s gold medals which she won at the Olympics?” the 26-year-old boxer asked.
“I want to travel to Zambia to begin camp later this month, but I’m not sure at the moment if I will be able to travel because I don’t have travel documents. I have a big fight in November which I need to prepare adequately, but this is frustrating me.”
“I was given money by the President, but I cannot even enjoy it because of this situation. I had also wanted to go out and buy goods and groceries for my family but I can’t,” Manyuchi told a local daily.
Previously Tourism minister Walter Mzembi and acting Sport, Arts and Culture minister Supa Mandiwanzira criticized the revenue authority for seizing the boxers’ passport.
