Kickoff.com
By Farirayi Kahwemba
6 February 2012
The Zimbabwean government is expecting Zifa to widen its net during an ongoing investigation into match-fixing allegations being levelled against national team players, coaches and the association’s officials.
So far the scandal has seen the arrest of former Zifa CEO Henrietta Rushwaya, who is now expected to be dragged before the courts this week for allegedly playing a leading role in ‘under-the-table’ deals that saw officials, coaches and players receiving huge sums of money in return for losing international matches played by the Warriors in Asia between 2007 and 2009.
Rushawaya, who is alleged to have made over R2-million for her central role in fixing the matches, has been questioned by police.
A committee led by a former Zimbabwe Supreme Court judge is also probing allegations that Kaizer Chiefs defender Thomas Sweswe raked in about R1.2-million after taking part in all the 15 matches that are in question, and that other players were given at least R77 600 per fixed match.
President Robert Mugabe, who met with Fifa president Sepp Blatter in Harare in 2010 shortly after the match-fixing allegations came to light, is said to be eagerly awaiting the outcome of the Zifa investigation.
Mugabe, who is known to attend football matches in Zimbabwe involving the national teams, promised Blatter that anyone found guilty would face the “full wrath of the lawâ€.
Zimbabwe’s Sports Minister, David Coltart, says Zifa must not be selective when punishing those found on the wrong side of the law. “The law must take its full course, without fear or favour.â€
Zifa has complicated matters by not suspending the national team’s assistant coach, Joey Antipas, despite the fact that he made statements admitting he received money from an Asian betting syndicate.
But the football association says it will, in time, also address the issue of coaches and officials who have been fingered in the scam.
“Zifa has only made a position on the players fingered in the Asiagate scandal,†Zifa CEO Jonathan Mashingaidze tells Zimbabwean media. “There is no position yet on officials but eventually there will be.
“We are not shielding anyone at all. We are going in a systematic way. We are playing Burundi at the end of February, which is not far off, that is why preparations have to start,” adds Mashingaidze.