ZIFA to learn from the world's prompt response on COVID-19

The swift response by the policy makers world wide in preventing and combating the coronavirus is a lesson to other organisations, for instance ZIFA to understand that humanity comes first and not only in time of a disaster.

In law , they say justice delayed is justice denied and Zimbabwe Football Association (ZIFA) lacked insight by continuously postponing the hearing of the Herantals appeal thus making Castle PSL’s conviction unworthy.

The Premier Soccer League Disciplinary Committee in January this year, found Herentals FC and their team manager Oliver Chirenga, guilty of attempting to influence the outcome of their Castle Lager PSL match against Black Rhinos FC which was played at the National Sports Stadium on October 19, 2019.

Herantals appealed their case to ZIFA who kept on postponing the hearing more than once and later on, last Friday night  ZIFA appeals committee cleared them and their official Oliver Chirenga of the match-fixing conviction made by the Premier Soccer League (PSL) disciplinary committee .

Policy makers around the world have been swift in reacting to the novel virus and that is commendable with other organisations recommended to follow suit when dealing with matters of gravity in their institutions.

It is a sustainable endeavor to fight the cancer of corruption that can send the football league into an abyss.

In 2006, Juventus were relegated to Serie B from Serie A for influencing referee appointments, although this was not exactly match-fixing .However the case is different from the allegations rising on Herantals as their official is said to have been fixing matches to avoid relegation not winning the title.

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The mind boggling question is why should Herantals donate to the football fraternity instead of buying players who can bolster their team to survive relegation.Their sportsmanship seems to be lacking here although they are donating to the nation’s football cause.

ZIFA ‘s slowness in providing the hearing of the appeal compared to the swift reaction by the world on COVID-19 depicts that they are lagging behind in terms of competent administration.

Leaders around the world understood that life was more important than any other gains to the people who were being affected by the virus and also ZIFA should have understood the pain of the marginalized communities who want to see fair soccer being played in Zimbabwe as everyone is not a soccer mom therefore they should have made the hearing earlier.

Without going outside our borders, one can look at how the Rainbow Amateur netball League (RANL) is being run. Apart from being sponsored to the tune of ZW$11 million, the league is devoid from manipulation of the league games.RANL is being sponsored by Glow Petroleum and the organisation has its netball team featuring in the league.

For the past 2 consecutive years, Correctional Queens have been lifting the league title.Glow Petroleum Queens play like any other team to amass points and the referees do not favour them because they are the ones sponsoring the league. That is sportsmanship at its best.

Castle PSL administration is trying to set the standard for a world class league but ZIFA is driving the league into doldrums although they are the mother body of football in the country.

The novel virus has ravaged worldwide and administrators should understand that the tactics carried out during the humanitarian crisis can also be used in day- to day business activities.

The FIFA secretary general Fatma Samoura, once worked as the  United Nations Resident Coordinator/ Humanitarian Coordinator .Leadership qualities do not differ much with organisations and humanitarian experiences are on demand.

WHO is certifying every country with an COVID-19 case in all continents a world class status. That shows impartiality and for football to flourish in our country we should not be impartial.

Castle PSL administrators are like fisher men in the river fishing fish and ZIFA should stop talking about how a fish is caught thus aborting the arm chair leadership and start to fish like what others are doing.