Calls for stiffer penalties on Asiagate

Zimbabweans across the globe have been calling for the total expulsion of all players implicated in the Asiagate saga. However, Sunday's press briefing with the Retired Justice Ahmed Ebrahim-led ZIFA ad hoc disciplinary committee revealed that the idea is not to punish everyone but to bring about justice and as such emotions should not guide the Asiagate inquiry.

With reports of certain individuals purportedly inciting players to abscond from giving evidence to the disciplinary committee and the nation calling for an immediate end to the saga by banning all those involved, the independent inquiry team believes otherwise.

Ebrahim says while corruption in sport is spreading like a cancer, the design is not for the ZIFA Independent ad hoc disciplinary committee to apply a blanket judgement on all players and officials implicated.

"Corruption in sport has become a cancer globally but we are not going to be cavalier in our approach as this thing involves over a 100 players," says Ebrahim.

He indicated that his committee's task is not a trial and that there are no accused persons but that the proceedings are an investigation hoped to bring out evidence that particular individuals have been guilty of match fixing or any other offences listed in the FIFA disciplinary code.

For that reason his committee after concluding its findings recommend appropriate sanctions but the final decision and punishment lies with ZIFA and FIFA.

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