NewsDay
By Henry Mhara
13 September 2012
The minister of Education, Sport, Arts and Culture, David Coltart, has tasked his deputy Lazarus Dokora to work with Zifa to raise funds for the broke association ahead of the decisive 2013 African Cup of Nations second leg final qualifier match against Angola next month.
The Warriors beat Angola 3-1 in the first leg last Sunday.
However, Coltart warned Zifa to clean their house first.
“Unfortunately, the government has very limited financial resources, but I think the financial resources will flow when the public and the corporate in particular have confidence in the administration of football.”
“At the player level we have enormous talent, but that has not been backed up by competence at the administrative level. Corporates want to be associated with positive brands and not a negative brand.
“The moment football is viewed as a positive brand in Zimbabwe, you will find that corporates will come flooding in. That will lead in growing confidence and growing revenue, more players playing at home and general strengthening of football,†said Coltart.
Meanwhile, South Africa’s Absa Premiership side Bidvest Wits University said they are committed to work with Zifa, but only if the country’s mother body follow the set-down football rules.
Zifa and Wits clashed over the release of midfielder Tinashe Nengomasha.
Wits claim they received the letter of request late, while Warriors team manager Nyika Chifamba insists the letter was sent on time.
Wits team manager George Mugotsi yesterday said: “The people from that side did not send the letter on time. We then received a phone call from the Zimbabwe secretariat accusing us of refusing to release the player and my CEO was not happy at all. He is a lawyer and he knows the rules very well.
“The rules say the football federation should write to clubs 14 days before the match, and that did not happen,†said Mogotsi.
Wits have Ofentse Nato of Botswana and Robin Ngalande of Malawi who all played for their national teams over the weekend.
Zifa boss Cuthbert Dube has said his board will investigate the matter which also saw striker Knowledge Musona failing to come for the Angola match.