Zimbabwe Women’s Football vice-chair summoned
ZIMBABWE Women’s Football vice-chairperson Cecilia Gambe will today appear before a Zifa ad hoc disciplinary committee to answer charges of bringing the game into disrepute.
This follows her invasion of the pitch during a league match involving Mutare City Rovers and How Mine on May 8 in Mutare.
Zifa communications manager Xolisani Gwesela said yesterday that the Mutare-based administrator will appear before the committee chaired by the association’s vice-president Omega Sibanda today.
This will be about four months after the incident that drew the ire of Sport and Recreation Minister Makhosini Hlongwane, who demanded Zifa action.
“Summons have been served on her and she is expected to appear before the committee tomorrow,” said Gwesela.
Gambe allegedly stormed the Sakubva Stadium pitch, manhandled the referee before pointing a middle finger at the official. Mutare City Rovers were subsequently slapped with a $2 000 fine by the Premier Soccer League as per standing orders.
Gambe is not new to controversy, having made a shocking outburst in the run-up to Zifa elections claiming that the Sport and Recreation Commission was biased and had endorsed the then presidential candidate Philip Chiyangwa.
This was after the Harare property mogul donated $10 000 to the Mighty Warriors as part of their preparations for the Rio Olympics.
However, then SRC director-general Charles Nhemachena dismissed her allegations, saying they had no modus operandi to nominate or endorse anyone for appointment or election to any position in national sport associations.
“Those utterances were made after the close of the meeting in question, but that notwithstanding, it was grossly irresponsible for her to choose the SRC boardroom to make a ‘political statement’. The SRC would like to reassure the national sport associations and the nation at large, of its impartiality and commitment to fair play in its dealings on electoral and other issues concerning the administration of sport,” Nhemachena said then.
Zifa ad hoc disciplinary committee is made up of Sibanda, Victor Matipano (vice-chairperson), Musa Mandaza, Davison Muchena, Willard Manyengavana and Stanley Chapeta. — @skhumoyo2000