Reprieve for English-Brown
ST JOHN’S College midfielder Calum English-Brown has bounced back into contention for the Young Warriors after the tournament organisers agreed to conform to the country’s sports policy which allows minority athletes to participate without a local passport.
English-Brown was selected into Moses Chunga’s COSAFA Under-17 Championship provisional squad, which is currently in camp at the ZIFA Village ahead of departure on Tuesday.
But his hopes to turn out for country appeared dashed on Thursday when COSAFA indicated to ZIFA that English-Brown, a holder of a British passport, was not eligible according to the tournament’s rules and regulations.
But yesterday there was a breakthrough after ZIFA appealed to COSAFA, citing their sports policy which is enshrined in the Sports and Recreation Commission policy and is constantly used by the athletes in the same predicament.
Last night, Sports Commission corporate communications officer Tiriwashe Nheweyembwa said they simply followed procedure in guiding ZIFA and clearing the athlete to play.
“Our procedure is that he is still considered a minor and can play for Zimbabwe. He hasn’t attained the legal age, where he can chose to become a Zimbabwean or remain a foreign national.
“So ZIFA appealed to COSAFA, highlighting all that and they have agreed since it is our sports policy, so the boy can participate at the tournament.
“As SRC, we are guided by national statutes and we have been implementing this for quite a number of years as the procedure has always been existing,” he said.
The footballer’s mother Sarah Pillay spent the better part of yesterday running around from the Registrar’s Office to the Sports Commission, presenting her documents so that her son would be eligible for selection.
“I am excited. It has been his dream. He is an excellent player who has always supported the Zimbabwe national team.
“He has big ambitions and began playing soccer when he was two. I am not a soccer fanatic, but I watch my son play.
“He is currently with Legends club based at Hellenic Sports Club and his coach is Farai Dhliwayo” she said.
Pillay said she will regularise the papers once the teenager turns 18 as English-Brown wants to play for Zimbabwe.
Yesterday, the team received a morale booster when ZIFA vice-president Omega Sibanda, ZIFA all-weather friend and businessman Bernard Gwarada and acting chief executive Joseph Mamutse paid a courtesy call at the team’s training session at Prince Edward grounds.
“I have come here to visit Moses and his crew. The morale is high and it is a group of youngsters, mostly 15 years.
“Moses is good at spearheading junior development and this is a multi-racial team and as ZIFA we are very happy and we don’t regret this choice of a coach and we are confident that they will bring the cup home,” said Sibanda.