The Zimbabwe Football Association (ZIFA) announced new controversial requirements for eligibility to be its chairperson which include 5 O levels and residence in Zimbabwe for the last 2 years before election.
Rosemary Mugadza, the ZIFA Normalisation Committee (NC) member is quoted saying; “I was given a chance by my parents to go to school and they made sure that I have the five O Levels.
“I’m a Caf instructor, where a certain level of education is required for you to participate in terms of imparting knowledge to the other fellow females,”
“It’s the right time for us former footballers to enrol into night schools to get the required academics that we ought to have. Also, if you look at the current situation that we have, the current crop of players, there are scholarships that are offered for them.
Disclaimer: The writer does not assume that persons named in here have or do not have 5 O levels, despite their well know deft right or left touch, dribbling skills, heading and scoring abilities.
The writer himself may or may not have 5 O levels but still feels inadequate to run football as an inspiration with proven experience and a track record.
The individuals cited are cited for their experience abroad, in Africa and at home, which common sense demands they get respect as the influencers that they are.
Commenting on this, Moses Chunga struck a diplomatic, (tone to the seemingly tone-deaf and privileged Mugadza and other ZIFA suits) by saying;
“5 0’Levels – why most footballers are without. The recent change in the ZIFA constitution which added 5 O’Levels as a requirement set the social media ablaze.
“Some constructive comments and some which were labelling soccer players as ‘madofo.’ Today I just want to let you in on the life of a footballer, where you will see why most of them do not have the 5.”
“Those who follow my posts know that I started playing football for Lytton Primary School B team when I was only around 8 years old. From that age onwards football was all that mattered to me. I would spend most of my time training, nurturing my talent.”
“A footballer trains their muscle between ages 6 and 18. Qualities like speed of thought, accuracy, endurance, resistance, strength and skill have to be mastered between 6 and 18. Fact.
“By the time one is 18, they would have reached their end of growth. (Fact). So if one is to excel in football he has to spend most of his teenage years on the field of training.”
“Unfortunately this is also the time where this same guy is needed in the classroom. In the end he/she has to make a difficult decision, that of choosing football ahead of formal education.”
“Those who mix football with formal education and excel in both are the rare ones. In conclusion let’s not be too quick to judge these footballers. They spent hours and hours practicing so that you may be entertained. Please let’s not humiliate them.”
This ignores the countless footballers like Sadio Mane and others with little or no education.
Lincoln Mutasa said: “5 O levels are for seeing someone’s ability to be able to read and write, understand numbers and communicate with our principles whether at CAF or FIFA.
“That’s basically the reason for that 5 O level qualification requirement. It’s not a major hurdle, it’s a basic stepping stone only to distinguish those who can’t read and write.”
Chunga speaks eloquent English and is known for his turn of phrase that made headlines like: “I do not play for peanuts.”
This statement is over 30 years old. His English is getting even better.
You won’t find a better player in Harare who drew fans to seats and blurred the lines between blue and Green from his teen years before playing for Zimbabwe and playing abroad and then becoming a talented coach who identifies junior talent unerringly.
Chunga has social currency and drawing power. Zimbabwean football needs him more than he needs it.
The random post got emotional posts from fans not mincing their words. Inclusivity may clash with the new exclusive approach by the returning ZIFA councillors after their FIFA induced exile.
Fans were also insulted that policies were seemingly made to include than exclude legends like Peter Ndlovu. He has nothing to prove on the local scene or international. He was the first African player in the English Premier League and no! He was not just a passenger.
They still talk about him. He represented Zimbabwe in over 100 games including captaining the Warriors to the African Cup of Nations for the first time in 2004.
Ndlovu was ambidextrous. He had equal strength in both feet. He has excelled himself as an administrator in South Africa with the all-conquering Sundowns.
He had a misunderstanding with a jealous Pitso Mosimane. It was either Peter or Pitso. Pitso is the one who was fired. Ndlovu is still there and winning and contributing to South African football, not Zimbabwean.
And going by the current rules he may not qualify because he has been resident in South Africa among other issues. Does he have 5 O-levels? Who cares? Ndlovu is not just a generational talent. He transcends generations.
By denying these and other talents on these and other spurious grounds ZIFA and Mugadza are planning a trip without fans. Constructive dismissal is not enough. Academic snobbery!
Academic snobbery refers to the attitude of superiority or exclusivity exhibited by some individuals in academia, often based on credentials, research focus, methodological approaches and intellectual pursuits.
It disregards institutional memory and experience on the job. It disregard unique natural talent and exposure. It shows itself in exclusionary language or behaviour.
It will limit collaboration and knowledge sharing while fostering elitism and exclusivity. It will undermines diversity and inclusivity and hinder real-world impact and application.
Let’s respect our former players and other Zimbabweans excelling in sporting fields and administration.
Even universities have mature entry or exemptions that preclude minimum requirements.
Both imaginary examples above speak well. They are backed by experience including in Europe and Africa and at home at the highest level from teens to thirties and well-beyond.
Most vocal on 5 O levels is former footballers like Rose Mugadza and Lincoln Mutasa. This may ruin their legacies. They immediately place themselves above Moses Chunga, Benjani Mwaruwari, Peter Ndlovu and others.
Zimbabwe doesn’t have a formal academy and junior setup to produce well-rounded individuals like Cesc Fabregas and the modern footballer who enrols in an academy and his elite education is funded.
Mugadza invokes her privileged upbringing when handling national issues. Football massively should be stressing inclusivity. Mugadza invokes exclusivity instead.
The Zifa chairperson should be a consultative and cooperative role. A chairperson may help bridge the 44 year old gap between administrators and crucially players as well as fans.
His or her experience in football at all 3 levels especially as a fan will reconcile Zimbabwean football with the former ‘owners of the game’ the fans. Chairperson should not make decisions in isolation. He or she consults.
The impression Zimbabwean football is captured by officials, the Zifa assembly and councillors is hard to shake off. Successive administrators have alienated fans with impunity upon entering office.
ZIFA councillors approved the requirements that now await ratification by the Sports and Recreation Commission. Fans hope sanity will prevail.
