Teenage Hadebe pleads with ZIFA, SRC to find common ground

Warriors centre back Teenage Hadebe has followed suit and become the latest player to plead with the government arm, the SRC and ZIFA to reach a consensus to ensure that Zimbabwe gets its ban lifted by FIFA.

Hadebe’s plea comes with Zimbabwe urrently under a FIFA ban which was slapped in February due to government interference in the running of football.

Tweeting on Monday, the 26-year-old who was the national team vice captain when Zimbabwe played at the AFCON finals in Cameroon early this year requested that the involved parties find a common ground.

“Find a workable solution to this matter so that our beautiful nation gets to enjoy our beautiful game,” reads his tweet which was accompanied by his photo donned in the gold and green national team jersey.

The former Kaizer Chiefs defender’s tweet comes almost a week after his compatriot and Stade Reims player Marshall Munetsi also echoed the same sentiments in his latest interview with BBC Sports Africa.

Said Munetsi: “This ban has affected young players who have an ambition to be like me by coming to Europe.”

“It’s playing for my national team that gave me the opportunity to play against big countries and big players. It’s something that is sad and frustrating for us as a country, and for players.

“It’s a very complicated topic and I just hope the people involved can solve this because Fifa puts these rules [in place] to protect football.

“If our government doesn’t respect this, then we don’t deserve to play. I just hope the government can do the right thing and make sure we are able to play in the coming games.”

It is not the first time that the former Orlando Pirates player has spoken about Zimbabwe’s ban by FIFA,” he added.

Besides the pair, both local and international players are also pleading with the SRC and ZIFA to ‘put their differences aside and fix football’ in the country saying they want Zimbabwe be readmitted back into FIFA football family.