Sports / Soccer
'I am going nowhere,' says Zifa's Cuthbert Dube
01 Feb 2015 at 14:00hrs | Views
Embattled Zimbabwe Football Association president Cuthbert Dube says only football stakeholders who voted him into office can vote him out of office and not people from the streets.
A defiant Dube emerged from the marathon meeting held at the Sport and Recreation Commission (SRC) offices and vowed to continue his tenure of office despite intensified calls for him and his board to step down from office.
Flanked by his despondent vice Omega Sibanda, Dube refused to discuss what the indaba with the SRC board centred on.
"All they want is my money but they do not want me...only the people who voted me into office can remove me. There is need for more dialogue between the board and the media," said Dube.
Sports, Arts and Culture Deputy Minister Tabetha Kanengoni-Malinga this week called on football stakeholders who voted Dube into office to rescind their decision because he had failed the local game.
Speaking during the question and answer session in parliament, Kanengoni-Malinga said it was better to be suspended by FIFA for the ultimate good of the local game.
SRC board chairman Edward Siwela gave the journalists a brief on the meeting with the entire ZIFA board saying they were on a mission to explore the state of football in Zimbabwe before making a report to the ministry.
"The issue of financial challenges, marketing strategy, general governance and transparency in football had been discussed as well as the structure of the board whether it is coherent as unit, does it have the right skills mix? And are they up to task of running the business of football?" Siwela said.
Dube's administration has come under increased pressure to step down following the demise of the country's number one sport in recent times.
Zimbabwe's national team has failed to qualify for three successive Africa Cup of Nations finals and the 2014 FIFA World Cup during Dube's reign at 53 Livingstone Avenue.
At the same time, ZIFA's debt, which stood at $700 000 when the wealthy businessman came into office, is now at a staggering $6 million.
To worsen matters, most of the association's property was auctioned off last year as bailiffs constantly knocked on the ZIFA door at the instruction of creditors owed varying amounts.
Dube, however, remains steadfast that he will not step down from his post, arguing that he deserves respect and appreciation for pouring his personal fortune into the game.
A defiant Dube emerged from the marathon meeting held at the Sport and Recreation Commission (SRC) offices and vowed to continue his tenure of office despite intensified calls for him and his board to step down from office.
Flanked by his despondent vice Omega Sibanda, Dube refused to discuss what the indaba with the SRC board centred on.
"All they want is my money but they do not want me...only the people who voted me into office can remove me. There is need for more dialogue between the board and the media," said Dube.
Sports, Arts and Culture Deputy Minister Tabetha Kanengoni-Malinga this week called on football stakeholders who voted Dube into office to rescind their decision because he had failed the local game.
Speaking during the question and answer session in parliament, Kanengoni-Malinga said it was better to be suspended by FIFA for the ultimate good of the local game.
SRC board chairman Edward Siwela gave the journalists a brief on the meeting with the entire ZIFA board saying they were on a mission to explore the state of football in Zimbabwe before making a report to the ministry.
"The issue of financial challenges, marketing strategy, general governance and transparency in football had been discussed as well as the structure of the board whether it is coherent as unit, does it have the right skills mix? And are they up to task of running the business of football?" Siwela said.
Dube's administration has come under increased pressure to step down following the demise of the country's number one sport in recent times.
Zimbabwe's national team has failed to qualify for three successive Africa Cup of Nations finals and the 2014 FIFA World Cup during Dube's reign at 53 Livingstone Avenue.
At the same time, ZIFA's debt, which stood at $700 000 when the wealthy businessman came into office, is now at a staggering $6 million.
To worsen matters, most of the association's property was auctioned off last year as bailiffs constantly knocked on the ZIFA door at the instruction of creditors owed varying amounts.
Dube, however, remains steadfast that he will not step down from his post, arguing that he deserves respect and appreciation for pouring his personal fortune into the game.
Source - zbc
