By Mark Baber
April 8 – This Wednesday the Zimbabwe Football Association (ZIFA) special appeals committee is expected to make its final determinations in the “Asiagate” match-fixing scandal.
FIFA has been unhappy with the way ZIFA has investigated or imposed sanctions in the match-fixing saga which has revealed that from August 2007 to January 2010 impoverished Zimbabwean players and officials were easy prey for Raj Perumal and his ring of matchfixers.
Last year an independent investigating committee, led by Justice Ahmed Ibrahim, imposed bans on coaches, journalists and players ranging from 6 months to life, with some later commuted to fines. A feature of the appeals process has been the requirement of defendants to pay “appeals fees” of $6,000, whilst some of those affected have not been called to be heard.
According to ZIFA chief executive officer Jonathan Mashingaidze; “The special appeals committee will convene on Wednesday to hear the appeals of Luke Masomere, Thomas Sweswe, Sunday Chidzambwa, Method Mwanjali and Taurayi Mangwiro. It is headed by Silas Chekere and has Advocate Thabani Mpofu and Chris Mbanga. After these hearings we will advise FIFA of our position and we will expect them to endorse the bans as effective throughout the world,”
Luke Masomere, manager of Shabanie Mines and former national team caretaker coach revealed in their evidence that matches were fixed under their watch in November 2007 at the Agribank Cup – Zimbabwe played Finland, Uzbekistan and Vietnam.
The match-fixing scandal was orchestrated by then ZIFA CEO Henrietta and involved a total of 15 matches for the national team where players were paid to lose by pre-agreed scores.
According to Masomer, “To win a match, ZIFA would pay a player $100 and, to lose, the syndicate would pay a player $4000 etc. Everyone who went as a player and part of the management, i.e. officials, in any of these games, knew very well what was happening. No-one can truthfully say they didn’t know, especially, the technical team and senior players.
“Gentlemen, this is the time to clean our game and, if you don’t, then you would have betrayed our trust in yourselves and the country at large.”
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