WARRIORS TROUBLED AGAIN
ZIFA has promised to work round the clock to ensure that Warriors coach Zdravko Logarusic joins the team for the Cosafa Cup tournament in South Africa.
Logarusic was denied entry into South Africa yesterday due to visa issues.
This leaves the team with only assistant coach Tonderai Ndiraya since Lloyd Chitembwe did not travel with the team.
Chitembwe, according to reports, is said to have been black listed when he left South African club Black Leopards.
Zifa said Chitembwe was never part of the travel plans due to ‘non authorisation to travel to the neighbouring country.’
“The Association is now saddled with ensuring that the coach gets a visa and proceed and join the team in Port Elizabeth in the shortest time possible.
“Meanwhile, assistant Coach Tonderai Ndiraya will prepare the team in the absence of Coach Lloyd Chitem- bwe who was never pencilled to travel to South Africa as a result of his non authorisation
to travel to
South Africa.
“We apologise to the nation for the inconvenience, however the team remains in high spirits and ready to compete to everyone’s best abilities. We would like to assure the nation that the Association is making frantic efforts to remedy the situation,” said Gwesela in statement.
Gwesela said the Croat was denied entry upon arrival at the Oliver Tambo international airport.
“The Zimbabwe Football Association (ZIFA) would like to inform the football fraternity and the nation that the Zimbabwe Senior National
Men’s team, the Warriors left this Monday (yesterday) morning for Port Elizabeth, South Africa via Johannesburg for the upcoming Cosafa Cup. The team arrived safely in Port Elizabeth, South Africa.
“The Association would however like to inform the nation that the head coach Zdravko Logarusic has been denied entry upon arrival at Oliver Tambo international Airport on the basis of him not holding a valid visa for the host country, South Africa.
“This is despite the fact that we confirmed with visa and travel agencies in Zimbabwe prior to departure and we were assured that as long he possessed a valid Zimbabwean workers permit; he would be allowed entry in South Africa.
“We were then dismayed upon arrival when we were told by Immigration officials that that only service and diplomatic holders from Croatia were exempt from South African visa requirements. This was not being anticipated by the Association and the travel agent has availed a letter of apology after this debacle. The Agent has also agreed to reimburse expenses resulting from this anomaly.
“Unfortunately, it is very clear that valuable training time has been lost as a result of this gaffe,” said Gwesela.
The tournament kicks off tomorrow and Zimbabwe are set to play Mozambique on Thursday.