THE FIFA BAN IS GOOD FOR FOOTBALL DEVELOPMENT IN ZIMBABWE
4 min read
By Francis Zimunya
Editorial comment
Firstly, It is important for every Zimbabweans to take note that ZIFA is a creation of Zimbabwe by its Citizens. Its main objectives are there to serve the interests of the nation of Zimbabwe first of all and it should be subservient to the nation and the people of Zimbabwe and not anyone else, including FIFA or CAF.
I would like to enlighten a number of misinformed members of the public and those of the football family that, it is not the first time that this country has been banned by FIFA.
My personal experience is that during our Ban by FIFA during the apartheid regime, I was a school teacher and a semi- professional football player at the time. John Rugg, Danny Macleanan and Mick Poole were my mentors who moulded me into a first class Coach and Administrator
who held the British FA International Coaching Badge.
A large number of our excellent coaches, referees, administrators and players were developed during the ban.
We were banned for years during the apartheid regime and during that time we built very strong football and viable football structures and we established a good relationship with all the football Stakeholders that included the corporate world and the fourth estate.
This would later form the basis of the success that this country enjoyed after Independence.
Only later on, this foundation was destroyed during the past 15 years by very arrogant and ignorant people who had no idea of what football was all about and the purpose why ZIFA was established.
When we were readmitted back into FIFA at independence, we were much stronger than we were before the ban. The evidence is there for all to see. We soon became CECAFA Champions by beating all the teams that were in FIFA in that tournament. We soon eastablished ourselves in Africa and at the world stage when we rose up in Fifa rankings both at club and National level as we rose like a Phoenix to became number 40 in the world and number 8 in Africa.
Yet with all that support that ZIFA gets from FIFA and CAF Zimbabwe is shamefully standing at number 31 in Africa and 121 in the world. Can one surely not see that there is something very wrong going on in our football? Is this normal in your eyes as football people?
We formed ZIFA and We chose to affiliate to FIFA in order to fulfill our aims and objectives as a sporting nation. Lest we forget that ZIFA is owned by Zimbabwe and not FIFA. Right now where Zimbabwe is stationed in terms of football, is in the wrong place. As a result of the foregoing drastic and corrective measures have to be taken no matter how difficult and painful those measures may become. It is a necessary evil and cross to bear. As patriotic Zimbabweans, there is absolute need for us to preserve our identity, culture, tradition and nationhood that has been eroded over the years.
We have gone through the mill, we have experienced this before and we know what has to be done together as a nation under these circumstances, we will do it axactly as we did during the Liberation Struggle and we will be triumphant in the end. We have a saying that goes” muzivi wenzira yepa ruware ndiye mufambi wayo”. We are not intimidated at all by what FIFA, the unpatriotic Kamambo and his colleagues have done. We will never ever hasitate to call a spade a spade when those entrusted to leadour institutions goes astray.
For us footballers, we welcome this challenge and this will be a stroll in the park. This will be a learning curve and a great experience for our young and upcoming young football administrators as we the veterans are very much prepared to hold their hands and show them the ropes in football administration.
It is sad to see that all the good work which was done by our Legends was destroyed during the past 15 years by a group of very arrogant and ignorant people who had no idea of what football was all about and why ZIFA was established. Only God knows how and where these people surfaced from but surely not from the football structures because they all never went through the mill and noone can trace their football history. These people are very selfish and have no sense of patriotism. No wonder football is in this decaying state.
We thank the SRC Board and the Minister of Sports Art Gender and Culture for the stand that they have taken to preserve the nation and the girl child that has been abuse for some time now.
I commemnd Hope Chizuzu as well as some of our journalists from the main media houses who have led the way to educate and enlighten the people of all the Shanegans of the Kamambo Board.
We as football Stakeholders commend the SRC and the Minister by being “Servant Leaders” for choosing to stand with the majority of the toiling football masses of Zimbabwe. In the end Victory is certain.
ALUTA CONTINUA.
Francis Zimunya
Chairman Zimbabwe Football Stakeholders Forum.
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