By ZBC Reporter
Local football has been thrown into panic mode as the deadline for the ultimatum issued by the World Football governing body FIFA draws closer.
With just 10 days left before the FIFA ultimatum expires, the dreaded chop is looming and the ball lies with the Sport and Recreational Commission (SRC).
The World Football governing body was unequivocal stating that the suspended ZIFA board should be reinstated by the third of January failure of which Zimbabwe will be frozen out of international football including the upcoming Africa Cup of Nations.
While the suspended ZIFA board has not covered itself in glory with the way they have conducted their business, FIFA insists they are being crucified without trial hence the ultimatum for the SRC to reinstate them.
The consequences for going against FIFA are dire too as the move will not only affect the Warriors and the Mighty Warriors but local clubs as there will not be any CAF Champions League or CAF Confederation Cup football.
Junior national teams will also be affected with Former ZIFA Technical Director; Takaendesa Jongwe worried that many careers will suffer a still birth.
“SRC should look at the effects of the ban. The disadvantage is that we will be the bad boys of FIFA. This will be a disadvantage to the immediate players who are expectant to play at AFCON and showcase their talent.Football is not about the Warriors alone, the SRC should consider that even upcoming players need exposure for them to grow but this won’t be possible in the case of a ban,” he said.
The ban will also come as a big blow for young players like Bill Antonio and Panashe Mutimbanyoka, who have been named in the Africa Cup of Nations provisional squad.
This is not the first time that Zimbabwe has been on the wrong side of FIFA sanctions after
being barred from the 2018 World Cup qualifiers for failure to pay former Warriors coach José Claudinei Georgini nicknamed Valinhos.
While other quarters view the ban as an opportunity for the country to restructure, some football fans have been asking the pertinent question: ‘is there order in disorder?’ given the way a similar move almost destroyed local cricket.
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