Walter Musona dismisses ZIFA injury claims, declares himself “1000% fit”
HARARE – Zimbabwe Warriors midfielder Walter Musona has rubbished claims by the Zimbabwe Football Association (ZIFA) that he is injured.
Musona was dropped from camp a few days ago, with reports suggesting new Warriors coach Marian “Mario” Marinica instructed him to step aside due to an alleged injury.
The Romanian coach is said to have directed the medical team to run scans on the Scottland FC captain, with the results reportedly indicating he was unavailable for selection.
However, in a post on his Facebook page, the former Polokwane City star insisted he is perfectly fine, boldly stating he is “1000% fit.”
Musona’s statement comes amid claims that Marinica wants to drop some players and is allegedly instructing the medical department to classify certain players as injured.
Reports also suggest that some players being told they are injured after scans are not receiving their results.
Musona is not the only player dropped from camp under similar circumstances.
Others include Junior Makunike, Andrew Mbeba, Tymon Machope, Xolani Ndlovu and Emmanuel Jalai.
In response to growing concern, ZIFA released a detailed clarification regarding the injury status of several players:
- Walter Musona: He reportedly injured his hamstring against Algeria in Saudi Arabia and did not train ahead of the Qatar match due to pain. He was instructed to bring an ultrasound scan before camp but did not submit it.
An MRI scan was conducted on Day 1 of camp, and official results are pending. He will rejoin the squad once cleared.
- Emmanuel Jalai: Sustained a contusion injury on his right thigh in a match against Triangle. He was released for physiotherapy and is expected back in camp on Thursday for further assessment.
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Tymone Machope: Reported for camp already injured. After assessment, the medical team concluded he will not make it for AFCON.
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Junior Makunike: Also arrived with an injury. Medical assessments confirmed he would not be fit for AFCON.
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Xolani Ndlovu: Picked up an injury on the first day of training and requested to be released to recover.
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Andrew Mbeba: Injured in a match against Green Fuel. He has an ongoing right knee issue which had not fully healed. Physiotherapy was recommended, but further assessments showed he would not be available for AFCON.
ZIFA added that several players were instructed to bring radiological reports, with most complying. The medical team continues evaluations to ensure full fitness for national duty, aided by GPS data collected during training.
With multiple injuries affecting squad depth, the technical team plans to expand its pool, including calling up players not on the original 55-man provisional list as AFCON preparations intensify.
ZIFA reaffirmed its commitment to transparency and top-level player welfare.
