ZIFA personality war denies girls chance to show case their soccer skills

Post ZIFA women's soccer election wars continue to expose their ugly head in the ZIFA Women's Soccer Central Region now boiling over to the field of play denying young girls a chance to show case their football skills.

According to officials at the ZIFA Central Region Women's league, the Women's Soccer National body led by Miriam Sibanda is still fighting against the region for not voting for her in the elections held in March. The central region backed then incumbent Mavis Gumbo who the region who the region went further to retain as Patron even after she lost the election and so are being made to pay for their allegiance to Gumbo.

In the latest of the fights the Central region claims that the national body refused to sanction a $5000 challenge match sponsored by Gumbo and the Midlands Show Society. The match which was meant to feature Women's Super League teams Chipembere Queens of Gweru and Cyclone stars of Harare was scheduled to be played at the Gweru Show Grounds today as part of the entertainment at the on going Midlands Agricultural Show.

Contacted for a comment, the Central Region's Secretary Mr Brightwell Kadenge confirmed that the national body had sent a last minute cancellation of the fixture besides the league having informed the national association in writing of the match in advance. Kadenge claims that a copy of the letter was even copied to the ZIFA Chief Executive Officer Mr Jonathan Mashingaidze who confirmed receiving the letter in time for the match.

"We sent the National Committee led by Miriam Sibanda a letter last month (June) the letter and was carbon copied to the ZIFA CEO and The national committee was supposed to sanction the match but they kept quiet until today (yesterday) at 16:00," said Kadenge.

Kadenge added that the last minute cancellation of the match had infuriated the invitational match sponsors the Midlands Show Society so much that it may have just ruined their relations for any future engagement. This would have been the first time in the history of the Agricultural Show that the Women's soccer match would have been the main entertainment event as it has always been dominated by the male soccer. Kadenge lamented at the loss of exposure the match would have given to the sport and financial benefits to the clubs.

"With about 10 000 people expected to grace the occasion this would have been the most perfect set up for us to advertise the sport as a region. More than that the financial reward that the clubs would have got was going to help them a lot in their Super League expenses which still does not have sponsorship," said Kadenge.

Asked if the region had tried to seek audience from a higher office on the last minute cancellation of the match and if any reasons were given for the cancellation Kadenge said that they had instead received correspondence through Mrs Theresa Maguraushe from National Board Member representing the Central Region in the Board Mavis Gambe instructing the region to ignore the directive and go ahead with the match. The statement from Gambe to Magurashe made available to Bulawayo24 instead instructs that the match be played but not as a challenge match but as a Super League game behind the sponsors' backs which the Show Society and other stakeholders could not accept.

"Maguraushe can u please tell me about Cyclone versus Chipembere issue? l thaught that l have agreed that they will play as a league game now l am told that someone phoned the manager of the Agriculture Society, why are we scaring away sponsors? Its not health for our futball ini ndini fixtures (I am the fixures Secretary) l have given them a go ahead ngavatambe (let them play) period," reads the statemen

On the reason for the non sanctioning of the match Kadenga also confirmed that the Miriam Sibanda led National Association was fighting the region because they did not back her in the elections in March.

"We are hurt to the bone at the way the national committee acted as they acted in bad faith and not like leaders. Sibanda knows that the region did not vote for her in the elections and maybe just out to hit back at us,"

"How can someone take a month to respond to a request. They MUST put their house in order as of yesterday otherwise we are doomed fo the next 4yrs. Let the girls play their game," concluded Kadenge.

Efforts to get a comment from the ZIFA CEO Mr Jonathan Masingaidze failed as his phone went unanswered.