Zifa under fire over Adam Ndlovu's jersey number 13

A STORM is brewing over ZIFA's controversial decision to use the Warriors Jersey Number 13 which predominantly belonged to the late Zimbabwe football hero Adam Ndlovu - after an earlier announcement that it was being retired in his memory.

Riled football fans have voiced their concern over ZIFA's decision to reallocate Jersey Number 13 after an announcement during the burial of Adam "Adamski" Ndlovu that Warriors Number 13 was being retired in recognition of Ndlovu's illustrious thirteen year career in which he used the same number.

In a recent international friendly with South Africa, ZIFA allocated Jersey 13 to Khama Billiat in which Zimbabwe won 2-1 against Bafana Bafana at the Orlando Stadium.

Billiat is a Zimbabwean professional footballer who currently plays as a midfielder for South African Premier Soccer League club Mamelodi Sundowns and the Zimbabwe national team.

While Adam Ndlovu took his illustrious footballing career to dizzy heights including playing in Switzerland for years, Khama Billiat failed the test at Russian club Lokomotive Moscow where he had gone for trials.

Billiat's attempts to secure a move overseas with clubs either in Belgium and France also did not materialise, a development that interpret the difference between Adam and the man who is said to be stepping on his foot.

In that glittering career, Adam scored the second highest number of Warriors goals, 34, only bettered by his younger brother Peter Ndlovu. He was killed in a horrific car crash last year in December while Peter was seriously injured.

In an official statement ZIFA chief executive officer Jonathan Mashingaidze said soon after the burial:

"In our tribute to Adam yesterday we indicated that we need to have a Hall of Fame for our soccer greats and in that place will be jersey number 13 which was worn by Adam. Let the nation know that just like what the Cameroonians did to jersey number 17 which was worn by Marc Vivien Foe, there will no longer be a jersey number 13 in the Warriors," he said.

However, events last Tuesday showed that ZIFA officials were not prepared to stand by their word when in uttermost disgust Zimbabweans saw Billiat bearing the famous Number 13.

Fans took to social networking and branded ZIFA a "bunch of hypocrites". They accused ZIFA of disrespecting a man who heroically served his country at all levels of the game.

"This is disrespect and insult to Adam Ndlovu. I almost cried when I saw Billiat wearing Number 13," said Thembinkosi Ndlovu in a Highlanders forum.

Facebook was also buzzing with the same topic.

"We need a national apology for this. This cannot go unchallenged. Is that the reason why they have failed to honour Peter Ndlovu. We see Peter being idiolised in Britain when his country cannot even hour him. What is this really," Lizwe sibanda said on Facebook.

Zimbabwean journalists were also stunned. Journalist Sikhumbuzo Moyo wrote "Its so sad ZIFA told us  they would retire Jersey Number 13 in honour of Legendary Adam Ndlovu but izolo one Khama Billiat was wearing Number 13". Another journalist Vusumuzi Dube responded: "This is total disrespect, yes Khama is a good player, but honestly what do ZIFA mean by giving him the honour of our retired jersey Number 13".

Efforts to get comment from ZIFA was fruitless at the time of going on Press.