LAST week, the Sports and Recreation Commission (SRC) and Zifa signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) which helps to avoid future friction after their bickering caused a two-year Fifa ban.
Considering how the ban damaged the local game, it is a welcome move as the two parties can now work hand-in-hand.
The country is looking to start on a clean page with the normalisation committee steering football towards the establishment of a new Zifa constitution which leads to elections for a substantive board.
The MoU will help to manage the relationship between the two parties, with both parties contributing to the development of the beautiful game.
According to SRC chairperson Gerald Mlotshwa, the MoU addresses three key areas which include good governance, sexual harassment as well as lobbying for funding from government.
We commend the two parties for coming to the table for the good of the game.
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What is particularly pleasing is that the SRC committed will lobby for funding from government for national team travels, allowances and upkeep.
SRC will “endeavour to provide financial resources in order to fund some of the main Zifa activities especially in relation to the activities of different national teams representing Zimbabwe in international competitions”.
It will also advise government on the needs of Zifa.
In serious footballing nations, national teams are funded by governments and they rarely squabble over allowances like we have seen in Zimbabwe.
In the past, the national team protested ahead of the Africa Cup of Nations (Afcon) finals with players demanding what Zifa could not afford.
For their last Afcon finals in Cameroon in 2022, government paid players’ allowances and everything moved smoothly despite the team failing to make it out of the group stages.
All players were paid above US$20 000, which is fair considering the magnitude of the tournament they were participating in.
If government continues to fund the national teams there is potential for success as the players will be motivated and focused.
We commend SRC for making such a commitment and hope that it keeps its word.
We hope government will start taking sport seriously as it is a big industry that can employ thousands of people.
The Afcon qualifiers are starting next week and we feel this is the time for SRC to start pushing for funding so that the Warriors are better placed for success.