Munetsi vows to take Zim crisis to global stage

WARRIORS midfielder Marshal Munetsi has vowed to take the country's current football crisis, caused by government interference, to the world stage following his appointment into the FIFPRO's Global Player Council (GPC) earlier this week.

The France-based star, together with Kenya international Enez Mango who plays for Farul Constanta in her homeland and Nigerian Rasheedat Ajibade of Atletico Madrid in Spain, were on Wednesday added into the group, which is a platform for active players with international experience ensuring viewpoints from men's and women's football and different leagues from around the world are heard.

Their addition brings the number of players who sit on the council to 34.

The trio join the likes of Italy legend Giorgio Chiellini and Argentina star Nicolas Tagliafico who also sit on the council.

The council assists FIFPRO and its 66 affiliated national player associations to represent footballers in negotiations about global issues that directly affect them including the international calendar, employment standards, the use of personal data, social media abuse and more.

Speaking shortly after FIFPRO made the huge announcement, Munetsi said major issues that he wants discussed by the group include the problem of government interference in the running of national football associations' affairs which he previously said cause untold suffering to footballers.

"Being a part of the Global Player Council means we can help footballers worldwide — such as protecting players against fake agents, or against government interference. I'm eager to get started," Munetsi said.

The 27-year-old has been the most vocal Warriors player against the Sports and Recreation Commission (SRC)'s decision to disband the legitimate Zifa board led by Felton Kamambo in 2021 which led to Fifa suspend the country from international football.

Kamambo and crew were booted out on various charges including misappropriation of funds and alleged failure to deal with sexual harassment of female referees.

The charges have not been substantiated though, and no single arrest has been made more than a year later.

Chaos, meanwhile, continue to reign supreme in the domestic game which is badly suffering due to the Fifa ban.

The game is literally on its knees.

An interim board led by Gift Banda was installed last year, but Fifa has refused to acknowledge the outcome of that Zifa extraordinary general meeting which brought back the Njube Lobengula legislator.

The world football governing body has insisted that Kamambo and his board be reinstated as the main condition to have the suspension on Zimbabwe lifted.

Relations between Fifa and the Zifa interim board are sour after Banda and his executive helped themselves to US$108 000 that was donated to the association during the Kamambo era.

The world football governing body has since ordered Banda to stop utilising the funds in the Zifa's account on the grounds that they are not the legitimate leaders of the national football association.

The Zifa interim board is also likely to draw the ire of Fifa after it started distributing football equipment that was purchased using Fifa funds.

More disturbingly, the equipment is allegedly not reaching it's intended target, according to sources who claim that some board members are converting it for personal use.

The sources said some of the equipment is being used  to campaign ahead of next year's general elections.

Zifa is set to hold its annual general meeting on January 28 although Fifa will unlikely endorse the outcome of the gathering.

Meanwhile, Munetsi celebrated his induction into the FIFPRO's GPC by scoring the only goal of the match when his Ligue A side Reims defeated Ajaccio 1-0 away on Wednesday night.

His third minute effort was his third league goal of the season, and he is the third highest scorer in his team which currently occupies eleventh position on the log standings.