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Zifa dismisses fake Fifa letter as smear campaign
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The Zimbabwe Football Association (ZIFA) has denounced as "a shameless act of deceit" a letter purportedly sent by FIFA, which alleged that the world football body's independent ethics committee was investigating presidential candidate Nqobile Magwizi's nomination.
Magwizi, a prominent businessman and advertising expert, has emerged as a leading contender in the race to become ZIFA's next president in the elections set for January 25. These will be ZIFA's first elections since December 2018, following the ousting of Felton Kamambo's administration in 2021.
The letter, circulated on social media, falsely claimed to be authored by Martin Ngoga, vice-chairman of FIFA's Ethics Committee. It accused ZIFA's Normalisation Committee, led by Lincoln Mutasa, of violating the association's constitution in accepting Magwizi's nomination.
Mutasa dismissed the letter as fake and criticized its authors for attempting to tarnish Magwizi's reputation and undermine the integrity of the electoral process.
"There is no such official correspondence from FIFA to us. What has been circulated on social media is nothing but a desperate attempt to sow confusion," said Mutasa. "This is indeed the silly season."
Mutasa pointed out glaring inconsistencies in the letter, including the incorrect designation of Ngoga as the Ethics Committee chairperson and the absence of a signature, a standard feature of official FIFA correspondence.
The Normalisation Committee insisted that it had adhered strictly to the ZIFA constitution in vetting candidates.
"We followed the October 2024 ZIFA statutes to the letter," said Mutasa. "All aspirants were treated equally, and the requirements—whether O'Level certificates, residency in Zimbabwe, or nominations by bona fide ZIFA members—were applied without exception."
Mutasa also dismissed allegations that the Sports and Recreation Commission (SRC) influenced candidate selection, calling such claims baseless.
Magwizi's rivals have reportedly resorted to a smear campaign, including claims that he should be disqualified due to his alleged past inclusion on U.S. sanctions lists.
While Magwizi continues his campaign across the country, meeting councillors who form the electorate, Mutasa condemned attempts to derail the process.
"The progress we've made in reforming ZIFA is evident in the strong interest from qualified individuals who want to contest these elections. Efforts to undermine this process only highlight the desperation of some parties," Mutasa said.
The fake letter's credibility was further undermined by its date—January 10, 2014—and the omission of key stakeholders like the Confederation of African Football (CAF) from its distribution list.
As ZIFA prepares for the pivotal elections, the association called for unity and focus on rebuilding Zimbabwean football. "Let's not allow distractions to derail the progress we've worked so hard to achieve," Mutasa urged.
Magwizi, a prominent businessman and advertising expert, has emerged as a leading contender in the race to become ZIFA's next president in the elections set for January 25. These will be ZIFA's first elections since December 2018, following the ousting of Felton Kamambo's administration in 2021.
The letter, circulated on social media, falsely claimed to be authored by Martin Ngoga, vice-chairman of FIFA's Ethics Committee. It accused ZIFA's Normalisation Committee, led by Lincoln Mutasa, of violating the association's constitution in accepting Magwizi's nomination.
Mutasa dismissed the letter as fake and criticized its authors for attempting to tarnish Magwizi's reputation and undermine the integrity of the electoral process.
"There is no such official correspondence from FIFA to us. What has been circulated on social media is nothing but a desperate attempt to sow confusion," said Mutasa. "This is indeed the silly season."
Mutasa pointed out glaring inconsistencies in the letter, including the incorrect designation of Ngoga as the Ethics Committee chairperson and the absence of a signature, a standard feature of official FIFA correspondence.
The Normalisation Committee insisted that it had adhered strictly to the ZIFA constitution in vetting candidates.
Mutasa also dismissed allegations that the Sports and Recreation Commission (SRC) influenced candidate selection, calling such claims baseless.
Magwizi's rivals have reportedly resorted to a smear campaign, including claims that he should be disqualified due to his alleged past inclusion on U.S. sanctions lists.
While Magwizi continues his campaign across the country, meeting councillors who form the electorate, Mutasa condemned attempts to derail the process.
"The progress we've made in reforming ZIFA is evident in the strong interest from qualified individuals who want to contest these elections. Efforts to undermine this process only highlight the desperation of some parties," Mutasa said.
The fake letter's credibility was further undermined by its date—January 10, 2014—and the omission of key stakeholders like the Confederation of African Football (CAF) from its distribution list.
As ZIFA prepares for the pivotal elections, the association called for unity and focus on rebuilding Zimbabwean football. "Let's not allow distractions to derail the progress we've worked so hard to achieve," Mutasa urged.
Source - the herald
