By Alois Xaba
Zimbabwe Football Association (Zifa) has handed life bans to 13 footballers and officials from the sport and 80 others have been suspended after being found guilty of match fixing.
A committee led by retired High Court judge Ahmed Ibrahim which investigated allegations national team players and officials took cash payments from Asian betting syndicates between 2007 and 2009 to lose matches.
ZIFA board, Justice Ibrahim said: “My committee has just completed a task which it embarked on about 11 months ago. It has been a tortuous, stressful period in our lives and we have been operating with virtually no resources.
“We have been maligned and some of our members have been libelled and received virtually no co-operation in securing documentation to effectively carry out our task.”
Eleven individuals were banned from football for 10 years; 37 were handed five-year bans; 25 players and officials banned for two years; two received suspended two-year bans; six will be sidelined for a year and one player is to receive a six month ban.
Fifa has confirmed that it is treating Zimbabwe football’s “Asiagate” scandal seriously.
If the world football body applies a world ban on the players found guilty of match fixing, it could spell the end of some well-known Zimbabwean football players who ply their trade in South Africa.
LIFE BANS
Henrietta Rushwaya, Jonathan Musavengana, Kudzai Shabba, Sunday Chidzambwa, Thompson Matenda, Godfrey Japajapa, Rodwell Dhlakama, Emmanuel Nyahuma, Robson Sharuko, Edmore Sibanda, Danisa Phiri, Thomas Sweswe, Guthrie Zhokinyi, Method Mwanjali, Hope Chizuzu
SIX MONTHS
MAPEZA Norman (official)
ONE YEAR
ARUBI Washington, MUSHEKWI Nyasha
TWO YEARS EFFECTIVE
CHIKAKA Beavan, KARIMUPFUMBI George, MAGARIRO George, MAPEMBA Gilbert, MARERE Benjamin, MARUFU Philip, MASOMERE Luke (official), MBARA Augustine, MUDZAMIRI Tsungai, MUPERA Menard, MUTEPFA Progress, RAMBANAPASI Ashley, RUSIKE Tafadzwa, SADIKI Ali, TEMBO Edward, VEREMU Daniel, ZHUWAWO Ramson
TWO YEARS WITH ONE YEAR SUSPENDED FOR TWO YEARS
AMIN Qadr, MANDICHA Tawanda
THREE YEARS
MANUWERE Eusebio, MOYO Mtshumayeli, NGODZO Johannes
FIVE YEARS
ALIFANDIKA Nicholas, ANTIPAS Joey (official), BANDA Khumbulani, CHIMUSARU Abel, CHITEMA Vorster, CHIUTSA Charles, GWATA Tendai, KAMUNENGA Daniel, KAMUSOKO Thabani, KAWASHU Makai, KHANYE Ndumiso, KUPERA William, MACHONA Casper, MAFUNGA Tapiwa, MANGEZI Tapiwa, MANGEZI Fidelis, MANGOVE Godfrey, MAPFUMO Brian, MDHLULI Lawrence, MPALA Nqobile, MUGAVAZI Solomon (official), MUKANDI Artwell, MUNTHALI Josh (journalist), MUSHURE Ocean, NGODZO Zephanaiah, NHONGO Asani, NYAMADZAWO Tawanda, NYANDORO Darryl, SAMANJA Tendai, SEMAKWERI Christopher, SIBANDA Ernest (official), SIMANGO Luckmore, ZOKOTO Daniel
SEVEN YEARS
DUBE Tafadzwa
EIGHT YEARS
MUTIZWA Lionel
TEN YEARS
MANGWIRO Taurai (official), MOYO Zenzo (official), MUNEMO clayton (official), NDLOVU Bekithemba