Zifa votes for O' levels

In a significant move to enhance the leadership standards of the Zimbabwe Football Association (ZIFA), 48 councillors voted in favor of amending the ZIFA constitution during the Annual General Meeting (AGM) held today in Harare. The amendment now requires aspiring candidates for the ZIFA presidency to possess at least five Ordinary Level (O-level) qualifications, a move that aims to raise the academic and administrative bar for potential candidates.

The motion received overwhelming support from the councillors, with only eight opposing the proposal. Proponents of the amendment argued that the new educational threshold will help ensure that future ZIFA presidents possess the necessary skills and knowledge to effectively manage Zimbabwe's football affairs at a critical time for the sport.

The decision follows growing calls for stronger governance structures within ZIFA, with stakeholders advocating for a more qualified and capable leadership to navigate the challenges facing Zimbabwean football, including financial mismanagement, poor performance of national teams, and lack of developmental strategies at grassroots levels.

Opponents of the motion, however, raised concerns that the new qualification requirements might limit the pool of candidates and potentially exclude individuals with vast football experience but without formal academic credentials.

The AGM, held at the Rainbow Towers Hotel in Harare, was attended by football stakeholders from across the country. The constitutional amendment is expected to come into effect in the next ZIFA elections, scheduled for 2025.

The ZIFA leadership praised the outcome as a step toward more professional and responsible governance, while the debate on balancing academic credentials and football expertise continues to dominate discussions within the sport's administration circles.