Gianni, Philip’s special relationship
FIFA president Gianni Infantino revealed on Thursday he shares a special relationship with ZIFA boss Philip Chiyangwa which began before he was elected world football’s most powerful man.
The Swiss lawyer was guest of honour at Chiyangwa’s bash which also attracted South African Football Association boss Danny Jordaan, Nigeria’s Amaju Pinnick, Ghana and FIFA executive council member Kwesi Nyantakyi, Musa Billity of Liberia, COSAFA vice president and Namibia football boss Frans Mbidi and a dozen other football leaders from Mozambique, Mauritius, Djibouti, Ethiopia and Madagsacar.
Ahmad Ahmad, the man who is challenging Issa Hayatou for the CAF presidency on the March 16, was also in attendance.
Minister of State for Harare Provincial Affairs Miriam Chikukwa, Minister of Public Service, Labour and Social Welfare Prisca Mupfumira and a number of parliamentarians, including former Warriors fitness coach Temba Mliswa, were also in attendance.
Swimming icon Kirsty Coventry and husband Tyrone Seward mingled with high-profile business people.
Infantino began his speech with “Manheru Zimbabwe” in Shona to the applause of the guests and capped it off with another phrase Tatenda Zvikuru.”
“Well, my dear friend and brother Philip, dear friends, dear football lovers, dear Philip lovers, I’m really, really happy and proud to be in this beautiful country of Zimbabwe to celebrate a birthday, to celebrate a victory,” said Infantino.
“I have taken this leaflet here with me on stage because the motto of tonight is let’s celebrate victory and I like that motto.
“To celebrate victory you have to win and to win you have to be brave and there are many brave men here in this room tonight.
“What can I say more about Philip that all of you know and love since many many years. Let me tell you a couple of things maybe. I met Philip for the first time a bit more than a year ago.
“I was a candidate for the FIFA presidency and we met in Johannesburg at a meeting of COSAFA, where I was there presenting my manifesto in my campaign to become FIFA president, it was in December 2015.
“Actually, we spent quite some time together and did click immediately, I don’t know the reason for it and actually we did not meet as you might or could imagine at the hairdresser, but we met in the bus. It must have been one of the few times that Philip has taken a bus in his life I think.
“But we were sitting together next to each other, in the bus which was chartered that time by COSAFA to take us back from the dinner that we had and we spent about an hour speaking about football, speaking about our love, speaking about how we thought we can change the world of football in Zimbabwe, in Africa, in the whole world.”
He said he was immediately charmed by the ZIFA president.
“I was really inspired by this energy of this man Captain Fiasco. The energy, the passion, the vitality has inspired me and I have taken some of his ideas as well into my programme,” he said.
“The (people) are here to pay tribute, to pay respect to a friend, to a football man to somebody who has done a lot for football in this country and we have been listening to the Minister (of Sport Makhosini) Hlongwane) as well and by the way, we will work together with ZIFA, with Philip with you (Minister) on this beautiful project of the 8 000 clubs thank you very much.”
Infantino proved he was a leader in touch with the people on the ground as he recognised by name each and every African football leader who graced the occasion.
The Swiss lawyer then joined Chiyangwa at the cutting of the cake ceremony after which he presented him with a FIFA pennant.
Popular musicians Suluman Chimbetu and Jah Prayzah as well as Iyasa entertained the guests.
The highlight of the evening was probably when Infantino and Chiyangwa briefly danced together with the FIFA president attempting the “Zora Butter” dance routine.