By Mark Baber
January 2 – Zimbabwe Football Association (Zifa) vice president Ndumiso Gumede has said that Zimbabwe will no longer take part in any games unless all costs are sure to be covered.
The statement comes after Fifa has instructed Zifa to clear its debts, which now total €3 million.
Zimbabwe’s next World Cup qualifying games are against Egypt in Cairo on 22-24 March and then in Harare on June 7.
“FIFA has said to us don’t get yourselves involved in games unless you have a full government guarantee or sponsorship that covers accommodation, match expenses and all incidentals,” Gumede said.
“Unless [the] government chips in and funds the match against Egypt, we are better off paying a huge fine of about $50 000 (€38,000) to Fifa than accruing another huge debt to fulfill the game.”
The financial threat to Zimbabwean football is a very real one, with the Under 20 and Under 17 teams already having been withdrawn from continental championships.
Zifa has been struggling to get its house in order since chief executive Henrietta Rushaway was sacked in October 2010 for sending the national team to play unauthorised matches and amidst reports she was involved in fixing matches in a Malaysian tournament.
Zimbabwe have never qualified for the World Cup.
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