NewsDay
30 August 2012
Education, Sport, Arts and Culture minister David Coltart finally met Zifa president Cuthbert Dube yesterday and emphasised the need to conclude the match-fixing investigations and focus on football development.
The meeting, according to a communiqué issued at the end by Sports and Recreation Commission Director General Charles Nhemachena, also resolved that an all stakeholders’ indaba be convened before the end of September.
Coltart’s deputy also attended the meeting, while Zifa was represented by Dube, his deputy Ndumiso Gumede, Saidi Sangula, the Northern Region acting chairman and Zifa chief executive Jonathan Mashingaidze.
The meeting noted the serious financial challenges that Zifa was facing resulting in the association being unable to fund its programmes, constantly seeking government financial support.
It was further noted that Government was also facing serious budgetary constraints to the extent that only limited support could be availed to sport.
Except for a few cases, corporate sector financial support was not forthcoming making it necessary to engage the sector in order to address the concerns that precluded them from supporting football.
The meeting reiterated the minister’s earlier call on the need to hold an Indaba with key stakeholders to find ways of extricating football from its current situation so as to provide opportunities for Zimbabweans, especially the youth, to benefit from the game.
Issues to be discussed would include football governance, financing of national teams, football development; and any other pertinent issues of interest to football stakeholders.
Zifa briefed the meeting on progress made in resolving the Asiagate issue. While noting concern over the delayed completion of the investigations, the meeting was pleased that the Zifa Ethics Committee was expected to finalise the matter in the next week or two.
The meeting observed that the matter had consumed the energies of the new Zifa Board over the past 2½ years and agreed that there was need for this matter to be concluded to allow the board to focus on developmental issues of the game.