Mahere blasts Kirsty; ‘Imagine if Zim was banned from Olympics at the height of your swimming career’

Opposition Citizens Coalition for Change (CCC) spokesperson Fadzayi Mahere has criticised Sports Minister Kirsty Coventry following her recent comments on Zimbabwe’s ban by the world football governing body, FIFA.

Zimbabwe was suspended by FIFA from participating in any international football activities in February 2022 due to “third party interference”.

This was after government through the Sports and Recreation Commission (SRC) relieved Felton Kamambo who was the ZIFA president and two of his board members of their duties.

The trio was suspended as a result of alleged mismanagement of funds, sexual harassment and alleged corruption.

Commenting on the issue, Coventry who spoke before the Parliamentary committee on Wednesday said the government is not in a position to get ZIFA reinstated by FIFA at the moment saying: “We don’t want them (FIFA) to lift it (suspension) at this point until we cleared and clean up our football.”

Told by parliamentarians the ban was a disservice, Coventry went on to respond: “Disservice to who?”

Meanwhile, it is her response that has left Mahere criticising the seven time olympic gold medal winner.

“A disservice to all the footballers whose careers have stagnated because of the international football ban you caused,” Mahere tweeted.

“Imagine if Zimbabwe had been banned from the Olympics at the height of your swimming career?”

To lift the suspension, FIFA demanded that government should reinstate Kamambo and company.

However, the demand has fallen on deaf ears as the government has remained adamant the suspended trio will not resume their duties.