Sports / Soccer
Zifa raises $35 000 from Asiagate fines
08 Jan 2013 at 11:00hrs | Views
THE Zimbabwe Football Association (Zifa) has raised close to US$35 000 to date from fines and appeal fees paid by players, administrators and other individuals involved in the Asiagate match-fixing scandal.
As of Friday, 16 players that ply their trade locally and abroad had paid their fines, while two people from those slapped with life and 10-year bans had managed to beat the November 30 deadline and paid their appeal fees of US$6 000 each.
Former CAPS United coach Taurai Mangwiro, who was handed a 10-year ban and Herald Senior Sports Editor Robson Sharuko, who was slapped with a life ban, are the only two people who appealed against the lengthy bans.
Flamboyant Zvishavane-based Premier Soccer League side FC Platinum bailed out seven of their nine players convicted in the scandal.
The platinum miners paid Zifa US$15 000 for the seven players that they wish to retain for the 2013 season.
According to sources privy to FC Platinum dealings, the club is however, contemplating paying for skipper Zephaniah Ngodzo who they had left out together with goalkeeper Tsungi Mudzamiri whose contract expired in December.
"We have decided to bring back Ngodzo as he still has a contract with us, but I can assure you that we are not renewing Tsungi's contract.
"So what it means is that we are supposed to pay for Zeph's fine again to make them eight," the source said.
CAPS United also managed to pay US$2 000 for four of their players in what a Zifa official said was a "gentlemen's agreement".
The Green Machine have Charles Chiutsa, Tendai Samanja, Asani Nhongo and Nqobile Mpala. The club is supposed to pay US$9 000 as three of their players: Samanja, Chiutsa and Nhongo all got US$2 000 fines while Mpala was slapped with a US$3 000 fine.
The South Africa-based duo of Tafadzwa Rusike and Gilbert Mapemba also settled their fines of US$2 000 each, and so did Democratic Republic of Congo-based winger Chris Samakweri who also paid US$2 000.
Meanwhile, Zifa has dismissed media reports which suggested that DeMbare had paid for three of their players implicated in the scandal.
The Glamour Boys have left back Ocean Mushure (US$3 000), Augustine Mbara (US$2 000) and newly signed goalkeeper Artwell Mukandi who is sitting on a US$ 2 000 fine.
Zifa president Cuthbert Dube and chief executive officer Jonathan Mashingaidze could not be reached to comment on the action likely to be taken on the majority of players who failed to beat the December 31 fines deadline.
As of Friday, 16 players that ply their trade locally and abroad had paid their fines, while two people from those slapped with life and 10-year bans had managed to beat the November 30 deadline and paid their appeal fees of US$6 000 each.
Former CAPS United coach Taurai Mangwiro, who was handed a 10-year ban and Herald Senior Sports Editor Robson Sharuko, who was slapped with a life ban, are the only two people who appealed against the lengthy bans.
Flamboyant Zvishavane-based Premier Soccer League side FC Platinum bailed out seven of their nine players convicted in the scandal.
The platinum miners paid Zifa US$15 000 for the seven players that they wish to retain for the 2013 season.
According to sources privy to FC Platinum dealings, the club is however, contemplating paying for skipper Zephaniah Ngodzo who they had left out together with goalkeeper Tsungi Mudzamiri whose contract expired in December.
"We have decided to bring back Ngodzo as he still has a contract with us, but I can assure you that we are not renewing Tsungi's contract.
"So what it means is that we are supposed to pay for Zeph's fine again to make them eight," the source said.
CAPS United also managed to pay US$2 000 for four of their players in what a Zifa official said was a "gentlemen's agreement".
The Green Machine have Charles Chiutsa, Tendai Samanja, Asani Nhongo and Nqobile Mpala. The club is supposed to pay US$9 000 as three of their players: Samanja, Chiutsa and Nhongo all got US$2 000 fines while Mpala was slapped with a US$3 000 fine.
The South Africa-based duo of Tafadzwa Rusike and Gilbert Mapemba also settled their fines of US$2 000 each, and so did Democratic Republic of Congo-based winger Chris Samakweri who also paid US$2 000.
Meanwhile, Zifa has dismissed media reports which suggested that DeMbare had paid for three of their players implicated in the scandal.
The Glamour Boys have left back Ocean Mushure (US$3 000), Augustine Mbara (US$2 000) and newly signed goalkeeper Artwell Mukandi who is sitting on a US$ 2 000 fine.
Zifa president Cuthbert Dube and chief executive officer Jonathan Mashingaidze could not be reached to comment on the action likely to be taken on the majority of players who failed to beat the December 31 fines deadline.
Source - standard
