Chidzambwa not suing Zifa

SUNDAY CHIDZAMBWA has dismissed reports, emanating from South Africa, claiming that he intends to sue Zifa over the Asiagate match-fixing saga.

Chidzambwa, who is the Black Leopards technical director, told The Herald yesterday that he had no intentions of taking Zifa to court.

"Some reports from here have indicated that I am in the process of suing Zifa over Asiagate but I want to say it that I have no such intentions right now, what I said to the journalist and what came out are not exactly the same," said Chidzambwa.

"I have suffered enough because of all this but my focus right now is to clear my name, which I believe has been tarnished for no apparent reason, and I have confidence that I will clear it at the very end of all this process.

"It has been a very difficult time for me and my family and the last thing that one has on his mind is to hit back at those who made you suffer because that doesn't help you repair your image.

"There are processes that are going on now, back home and at Fifa level, and at the end of it all the truth shall come out and when it does, I'm more interested in people coming to say sorry to me than taking them to some courts."

Chidzambwa said Zimbabwean football had suffered a lot, in the past three years, because of the Asiagate scandal it would be wrong, for a person of his position, to keep the game bleeding when this chapter is closed.

"I have a responsibility as an elder statesmen of our football to ensure that I play my part to help heal the wounds that have been created by everything that has been happening in our country," said Chidzambwa.

"We now have deep divisions in our football right now, there are factions here and there and I don't think that is healthy for our football and once this chapter is closed, what is important is not about getting revenge but healing the wounds.

"We need to unite our people so that focus can be put back on developing our football and if you drag people to court for this and that, you are only extending the problems and I believe that people expect far better things from me than that.

"That is why I am saying that the issue of me suing Zifa was taken out of context."

Chidzambwa said he has battled emotional and psychological demons since he was implicated in the Asiagate match-fixing scandal.

"It has been a very tough time because, for the first time in my football career, some people began to look at me differently," said Chidzambwa.

"But I have soldiered on even though up to now I don't know what did I do wrong, noone has come to tell me that Sunday you did A, B, C, D and this was wrong and this is the proof.

"However, I am also a strong personality and I believe the worst is past us and I can only look to the future with home and I am certain that I will come out of this as a clean man and when that happens I want to unite our football rather than divide it.

"I was the first captain of the national team after Independence and the first coach to take the team to the Afcon finals and when you do that, you need to help the game and not destroy it.

"Things happen for a very particular reason but if you don't have the heart to forgive then you are not worthy to live because setbacks will always happen whether we like it or not."