FIFA officially ratify Zimbabwe suspension from international competitions

The world football governing board, FIFA has officially confirmed the suspension of Zimbabwe as well as Kenya and Pakistan from all international football activities.

The recent confirmation of the ban was made today (Thursday) in Doha, Qatar during the 72nd FIFA Congress.

It is widely reported all 199 members of the federation unanimously voted a ‘Yes’ to ratify Zimbabwe’s suspension which FIFA will continuously uphold until all its demands have been met.

The decision made by the 199 FIFA members has inflicted more pain to the country’s football lovers.

In fact, it will agonisingly lead to more dark days for Zimbabwean football.

Initially, FIFA, suspended Zimbabwe through a letter issued by their Secretary General Fatma Samoura on the 24th of February.

“In accordance with article 13 of the FIFA Statutes, ZIFA loses all its membership rights as of 24 February 2022 until further notice,” reads part of the letter signed by Samoura.

Therefore, the move meant the country lost all its membership rights with FIFA, as a result prohibiting the country from participating in any international competitions until the ban has been lifted.

It also affected all the local football clubs who are regarded as Zimbabwe’s representatives from participating in any continental competitions including the prestigious CAF Champions League.

“ZIFA representatives and club teams are therefore no longer entitled to take part in international competitions until the suspension is lifted.

“This also means that neither the ZIFA nor any of its members or officials may benefit from any development programmes, courses or training from FIFA and/or CAF,” further reads the letter.

But in order to lift the ban, FIFA placed conditions for Zimbabwe including the reinstatement of the Felton Kamambo led board suspended by the government arm the SRC on the 16th of November in 2021.

FIFA also implored the SRC to reinstate the ZIFA chief executive officer Joseph Mamutse who was also suspended by the same board in 2020.

The football owners also instructed the SRC to withdraw court cases that were filed against the affected persons at the Magistrates Court.

The affected are accused of fraud and illegal use of the football associations’ letterhead at a time they were regarded as suspended persons, however they pleaded not guilty to the allegations.

But despite all the mentioned demands by FIFA, the defiant SRC has appeared to be “unmoved” by their call, instead, it has vowed the suspended ZIFA board will remain suspended and none of the ultimatums will be implemented.

And with assurance from the country’s Minister of Sports Kirsty Coventry, the SRC argument is that its doing this to ‘fix’ football in the country.

According to the government arm, this will only be achieved when they permanently get rid of the suspended ZIFA board whom they described as ‘undoubted sexual predators, fraudsters and corrupt administrators’. Nehanda Radio