News / National
Fifa investigating 'illegal' Chiyangwa?
15 Nov 2018 at 16:19hrs | Views
Zifa president Phillip Chiyangwa yesterday threatened to sue blogger, Hope Chizuzu who claimed on social media recently that he is in office illegally.
Chizuzu, who is also a Harare City FC official said the Fifa ethics committee headed by Maria Claudio Rodgers from Columbia had opened investigations on the legality of Chiyangwa's presidency.
"Ethics Committee chair, Maria Claudio Rodgers, a Gianni Infantino favourite, confirmed investigations have opened on Chiyangwa's alleged illegality to holding office in Zimbabwe football association. She is being assisted by Gautier Aubert," Chizuzu wrote on his Facebook wall on November 9.
In an e-mailed response to an inquiry from Chronicle Sport yesterday, Fifa said the Ethics Committee does not comment on potential ongoing proceedings and on whether or not investigations were underway into alleged ethics cases.
"Please note that generally speaking the Ethics Committee does not comment on potential ongoing proceedings nor on whether or not investigations are underway into alleged ethics cases. Any information the committee would like to share will be communicated accordingly upon the committee's indications," responded Fifa yesterday.
The Independent Ethics Committee is one of Fifa's judicial bodies. It is primarily responsible for investigating possible infringements of the Fifa Code of Ethics. Since 2012, it has been divided into two separate chambers — the investigatory chamber and the adjudicatory chamber.
According to Chizuzu, the case against Chiyangwa follows complaints from concerned Zimbabwean stakeholders who approached Fifa with cases that; "Chiyangwa in 2015, did not hold the requisite five years experience in football administration as espoused in Art 32 of the Zifa constitution when he joined football for the first time. 2. He never owned or ran a football club playing association football in Chegutu, as he claimed in his affidavit, saying he ran a club called Old Citrus FC. 3. He bribed the electorate by paying for their two nights' accommodation at Crowne Plaza Monomotapa hotel on the 4th and 5th of December 2015 in wanton violation of Fifa and Zifa statutes. This is defined as vote manipulation and bribery. 4. He presented false credentials on his football administration experience to the Zifa Electoral Committee then led by retired Judge Selo Nare ahead of the December 5 election that followed the recall of the previous board led by Cuthbert Dube. The Dube board was recalled in October 2015. 5. He intimidated Trevor Juul, a fellow contestant in the poll forcing him to file a complaint with police on the eve of the poll. Nothing was done in that case to date".
Chiyangwa said he was taking legal action against Chizuzu for "perpetually tarnishing my image."
Chizuzu, who is also a Harare City FC official said the Fifa ethics committee headed by Maria Claudio Rodgers from Columbia had opened investigations on the legality of Chiyangwa's presidency.
"Ethics Committee chair, Maria Claudio Rodgers, a Gianni Infantino favourite, confirmed investigations have opened on Chiyangwa's alleged illegality to holding office in Zimbabwe football association. She is being assisted by Gautier Aubert," Chizuzu wrote on his Facebook wall on November 9.
In an e-mailed response to an inquiry from Chronicle Sport yesterday, Fifa said the Ethics Committee does not comment on potential ongoing proceedings and on whether or not investigations were underway into alleged ethics cases.
"Please note that generally speaking the Ethics Committee does not comment on potential ongoing proceedings nor on whether or not investigations are underway into alleged ethics cases. Any information the committee would like to share will be communicated accordingly upon the committee's indications," responded Fifa yesterday.
The Independent Ethics Committee is one of Fifa's judicial bodies. It is primarily responsible for investigating possible infringements of the Fifa Code of Ethics. Since 2012, it has been divided into two separate chambers — the investigatory chamber and the adjudicatory chamber.
According to Chizuzu, the case against Chiyangwa follows complaints from concerned Zimbabwean stakeholders who approached Fifa with cases that; "Chiyangwa in 2015, did not hold the requisite five years experience in football administration as espoused in Art 32 of the Zifa constitution when he joined football for the first time. 2. He never owned or ran a football club playing association football in Chegutu, as he claimed in his affidavit, saying he ran a club called Old Citrus FC. 3. He bribed the electorate by paying for their two nights' accommodation at Crowne Plaza Monomotapa hotel on the 4th and 5th of December 2015 in wanton violation of Fifa and Zifa statutes. This is defined as vote manipulation and bribery. 4. He presented false credentials on his football administration experience to the Zifa Electoral Committee then led by retired Judge Selo Nare ahead of the December 5 election that followed the recall of the previous board led by Cuthbert Dube. The Dube board was recalled in October 2015. 5. He intimidated Trevor Juul, a fellow contestant in the poll forcing him to file a complaint with police on the eve of the poll. Nothing was done in that case to date".
Chiyangwa said he was taking legal action against Chizuzu for "perpetually tarnishing my image."
Source - chronicle
