Chiyangwa reacts angrily to former football administrators' suggestion

Zifa presidential aspirant Philip Chiyangwa has angrily reacted to claims being made by a board of former local football administrators that he should withdraw his candidature from the December 5 poll because he does not have the required five years in football administration.

Lifelong Footballers' Trust of Zimbabwe (LIFTZ), led by former Zifa board member Francis Zimunya, yesterday sensationally claimed that Chiyangwa is not qualified to stand in the poll as he was never involved in local football structures and as such presented a petition to the Zifa Electoral Commission to have his candidature nullified.

This comes after Chiyangwa's candidacy sailed through the Zifa Electoral Committee, paving way for him to stand against former Harare City chairman Leslie Gwindi, former Warriors defender James Takavada and Trevor Carelse-Juul for the Zifa presidency.

As such, the maverick businessman, last night issued a strong-worded statement dismissing the trust as a syndicate of failed "criminals" who should stay far from football activities.

"The purported Lifelong Footballers' Trust of Zimbabwe (LIFTZ) is clearly not a member of Zifa. It is existentially and functionally a consortium of disgraced individuals who have been convicted of indulging in criminal shenanigans and who have received bans from both Zifa and Fifa. It is an epitome of corrupt gangsters of charlatans who have not only failed in football but in life, business and any even corrupt activities," Chiyangwa said.

Adding that, "The LIFTZ lacks locus standi to participate or comment in any football activity or matter in Zimbabwe. Apart from the shameful scars left by its proprietors in the governance of football affairs in Zimbabwe, the organisation lacks legitimacy, credibility and common decency.  It is a matter of public record that Francis Zimunya is banned from participating in football matters in Zimbabwe due to his shady history. It is most ironic that he has the temerity of joining hands with other failures of his ilk in making unfounded and groundless allegations against me," Chiyangwa said.

"None of the so-called members of LIFTZ (which I think is a misspelling for looters) have any status, standing or position in any of the formal structures of football in Zimbabwe.  LIFTZ has not made any contribution to Zimbabwean football and cannot be allowed to pollute our sports matters with their hogwash."

The fiery businessman who says he was a director of Chinhoyi United for six years — between 1993 to 1999 before assuming the same role at Old Citrus Farm between 2001 and 2003 said the LIFTZ were far from reality to the contribution he has made to the sport over the years.

"The allegations made by LIFTZ manifests outright illiteracy in reading the constitution of Zifa and in understanding the invaluable contribution I have made to football and the Zimbabwean society at large.

"None of the nonsensical allegations can stand scrutiny, for instance the sham organisation confuses Old Citrus Farm Football Club and a non-existent entity they allege to be "Mazoe Citrus". These failures are so desperate as to fabricate fictitious fallacies believing in them and publicly parading their feigned lunacy."

Chiyangwa's camp which has contested the candidature of Carelse-Juul, went on to accuse LIFTZ of attempting to shore up support for the latter in the race for the Zifa post.

"It is clear that the laughable allegations being made by LIFTZ are an integral part of a strategy by those who have nothing to offer to Zimbabwe football to prop up their candidate who is a man of an equally shady football administrative history, who despite lacking a Zimbabwean passport is vying to be considered as a leader of Zimbabwean football.

"The ultimate objective is to perpetuate plunder and destruction of not just football but the reputation of the Zimbabwean society at large. We shall not allow their evil machinations to see the light of day."