Mliswa backs SRC; says FIFA is a mafia and football cartel, we can’t have criminals running institutions
Former Warriors fitness trainer and outspoken Norton legislator Temba Mliswa has backed the decision by the Sports and Recreation Commission (SRC) to suspend ZIFA boss Felton Kamambo and his board which led to a FIFA ban.
Mliswa also a former CAPS United and Dynamos Football Club fitness coach and chairperson respectively, believes the SRC are in the right direction of ‘fixing and cleansing the country’s football’.
He says the SRC should not be forced to backtrack on their decision by FIFA an institution he described as a “mafia organisation and a football cartel”.
Its one year now since Zimbabwe was suspended by FIFA from participating in all international football activities allegedly due to third part interference.
ZIFA’s suspension was for the second time ratified by the FIFA members at the 73rd Congress that was held at BK Arena in Kigali, Rwanda last Thursday.
Speaking on the recent ratification by 199 out 200 FIFA members, Mliswa told NewZimbabwe.com: “FIFA upholding our suspension is hot air. We cannot have such a Mafia organisation giving us conditions on how we operate even when we can see the blatant failure of those in charge.
“We have our own laws which make the SRC supreme, able and allowed to intervene when sporting organisations are failing to fulfil their mandates.
“The laws that are enacted in our Parliament must be respected and allowed to work without interference from FIFA. We can’t have criminals running institutions and then be protected by FIFA. We will suffer nothing from being suspended by FIFA as nothing was happening.
“Why should we continue supporting failures? We don’t eat FIFA and we can play among ourselves. We should have proper administrators before we come back. The SRC should put in place a criteria for who can be in ZIFA. It’s not politics that has an open door for everyone.”
The former chairperson of the Sport, Arts and Culture Parliamentary Portfolio Committee added: “We should take advantage of this suspension to revive those structures.
“There is nothing clean about FIFA itself that is why it is comfortable with an equally corrupt ZIFA. It is essentially a Mafia. A football cartel that is now seeking to hold us to ransom. We shouldn’t capitulate to that!
“Let’s restructure our systems and in 10-15 years we will be back. We can’t be held at ransom by FIFA. Government must maintain its position. Let’s support local soccer and let it grow. We can do that.” Mliswa said.
