Road to Rio was hell for Mighty Warriors

History making Mighty Warriors road to 2016 Rio Olympics was hell as several cabinet ministers snubbed them as the girls frequently ate matemba and plain buns.

 With their qualification, the same minister are falling over each other to congratulate them, women football official has said.

Women football board member for competitions Cecilia Gambe said the Mighty Warriors went through hell on the road to Rio, with some ministers giving them a cold shoulder.

She said a female minister snubbed them when they went to her office to seek assistance and claimed the unnamed minister, through a secretary, said she was rushing to her farm.

"We went to different ministries looking for donations, but in most cases, we got none. I want to thank parents for sacrificing and having their children eat matemba (dried kapenta). Some of the ministers would say l can't see you, l am rushing to my farm," she said.

"Several ministers shut the doors on us and would even send their secretaries. We would ask for water and it's sad some of those ministers are now celebrating with us. Some are coming to celebrate, but where were they when the girls were eating matemba?" she quizzed.

"Some of us slept in cars because we did not have options. It was tough. I hope the Press is here, the girls were treated like second-class citizens," she said.

"We did not have anywhere to go in most instances. Some came from Bulawayo. I stay in Mutare and we did not have anywhere to go. Staffers at OK Supermarket Fife Avenue knew us because we would walk in early in the morning and buy our buns. We would buy our $1 sadza and we did not care. We learnt the hard way and it was a tough journey."

"On the Ivory Coast game, no one wanted to give us money. We failed to go to there and got punished, but (Zifa CEO Jonathan) Mashingaidze convinced Fifa and we got a chance."