“We Should Take Advantage Of This Suspension To Revive Those Structures!”: Mliswa On FIFA’s Upholding Suspension
MEMBER of Parliament Temba Mliswa has dismissed FIFA’s recent upholding of its ZIFA suspension as nothing but hot air in a lengthy critique of the move and Zimbabwe’s continued absence from international football.
FIFA upheld the decision at its Annual General Meeting (AGM) held in Rwanda last Thursday.
Mliswa, a former Warriors, Caps United Fitness Coach and Dynamos chairperson said the Sports and Recreation Commission (SRC), which is responsible for the current situation, should not allow FIFA to bully them into submission.
FIFA barred Zimbabwe’s participation in international competitions after the SRC interfered at ZIFA and forced the suspension of its Felton Kamambo board, against international statutes.
“FIFA upholding our suspension is hot air. We cannot have such a Mafia organisation giving us conditions on how we operate even when we can see the blatant failure of those in charge,” said Mliswa.
“We have our own laws which make the SRC supreme, able and allowed to intervene when sporting organisations are failing to fulfil their mandates.
“The laws that are enacted in our Parliament must be respected and allowed to work without interference from FIFA. We can’t have criminals running institutions and then be protected by FIFA. We will suffer nothing from being suspended by FIFA as nothing was happening.
“Why should we continue supporting failures? We don’t eat FIFA and we can play among ourselves. We should have proper administrators before we come back. The SRC should put in place a criteria for who can be in ZIFA. It’s not politics that has an open door for everyone.”
Zimbabwe’s suspension has meant an absence from continental club competitions such as the CAF Champions League and its Confederation Cup. The Warriors have missed out on next year’s AFCON finals having already lost out on the last CHAN tournament.
Castle Lager premiership giants Dynamos and Caps United will blame their absence in CAF’s much anticipated Super League to the suspension. The two clubs were invited to strategic meetings when it was still in its formative stages.
Added Mliswa: “We should take advantage of this suspension to revive those structures!
“There is nothing clean about FIFA itself that is why it is comfortable with an equally corrupt ZIFA. It is essentially a Mafia. A football cartel that is now seeking to hold us to ransom. We shouldn’t capitulate to that!
“Let’s restructure our systems and in 10-15 years we will be back. We can’t be held at ransom by FIFA. Government must maintain its position. Let’s support local soccer and let it grow. We can do that.”
Mliswa’s comments are against players, coaches and fans who argue the SRC should take a step back, reinstate the suspended ZIFA board and bring back international football as their competitions have become no better than social soccer.
