Zifa still to confirm lifting of bans

FOURTEEN individuals that had been thrown into the football dustbin for various offences over the last two years are still to receive letters from Zifa lifting their bans, B-Metro Sport has established.

Zifa president Felton Kamambo, one of the individuals that had been banned by his predecessor Philip Chiyangwa, announced on 20 December - a few days after taking over the reins of the football association - that his board was ready to embrace every member of the football family.

Seeking to foster unity and a development agenda that will see the game scale greater heights, Kamambo lifted the bans on the 14 individuals.

Former women soccer boss Samukeliso Silengane, ex-Zifa chief executive Jonathan Mashingaidze, Trevor Carelse Juul, journalist Hope Chizuzu, Leslie Gwindi, Rafiq Khan and Vincent Pamire are some of the individuals that had been slapped with bans.

But it has emerged that Zifa CEO Joseph Mamutse is yet to issue the affected individuals with letters confirming that the bans have been officially lifted.

"I still have not received a letter from Zifa to that effect (lifting of ban). My issue was different in the sense that I am not a member of Zifa who should be charged by the football association. Article 10 of the Zifa constitution lists the 58 members (councillors) as those that are guided by Zifa statutes and the football association has no territorial jurisdiction beyond their statutes," said journalist Chizuzu.

B-Metro Sport also spoke to three other individuals who said they only read about the lifting of the bans in the Press but had not received correspondence from Zifa.

"We are happy that Kamambo dealt with the elephant in the room, that of unnecessary and vindictive bans by the previous executive, but we need official letters stating that the bans have been lifted," said a former Zifa councillor, who chose to remain anonymous.

Repeated efforts to get a comment from Zifa CEO Mamutse were fruitless as his mobile phone was unreachable.

"The board has decided to lift all suspensions. It doesn't mean we condone whatever led to the suspensions, or that it was right, but we felt that we wanted to unite the football family. By so doing, we felt, maybe, it's one way that we can all start on a new slate," said Kamambo at the time he announced the lifting of the bans.

List of individuals banned by Chiyangwa led executive:

Jonathan Mashingaidze, Trevor Carelse Juul, Richard Maseko, Eucebia Maseko, Rafiq Khan, Vincent Pamire, Leslie Gwindi, John Phiri, Fungai Chihuri, Samkeliso Silengane, Hope Chizuzu, Felton Kamambo, Yona Tembo, Derrick Matapure.