Zifa warn bogus agents
ZIFA, keen on ensuring that clubs take a professional approach to the way they administer the game, have warned local sides against being misled by bogus match agents and intermediaries.
The Association has also threatened stern action against those masquerading as international match agents.
The soccer mother body is worried that clubs, especially those in the Premiership, risk being duped of cash and also attracting Sport and Recreation Commission penalties, if they continued to snub the laid down procedures and use unorthodox means to arrange international friendly matches.
ZIFA acting president Omega Sibanda and the Association’s communications and competitions manager, Xolisani Gwesela, issued the warnings yesterday and cited Harare players’ manager George Deda for masquerading as a match agent.
This comes as Deda is understood to have been advertising to clubs he can arrange matches for them against international opposition.
Deda is reported to have played a role in facilitating international friendly matches for Premiership champions FC Platinum and Harare giants CAPS United ahead of the start of the 2018 domestic season.
The Zvishavane miners played some sparring matches against Mozambique’s Ferroviario and Zambian giants Zanaco with Deda reported to have been involved in the organisation of the games.
“The Zimbabwe Football Association would like to warn all football stakeholders against engaging the services of unregistered football intermediaries and match agents.
“This comes after we learnt that George Deda is misrepresenting himself to clubs and masquerading as a match agent responsible for organising matches between local and foreign clubs.
“Organising such matches is the prerogative of registered match agents only and anyone doing so will attract sanctions from ZIFA,” Gwesela said.
The ZIFA spokesman said no individual had been registered with his Association to practice as a match agent in this country.
Gwesela also revealed there were only three registered intermediaries in the country — Gibson Mahachi, Gerald Maguranyanga and Cousin Zikala.
“In the same vein, ZIFA would like to also warn clubs against engaging these unregistered match agents and organisations as this undermines professional football administration.
“Going forward, ZIFA will impose sanctions on all parties found to be on the wrong side of its rules and regulations. Deda and other individuals or companies are free to approach ZIFA and get their activities regularised.
“We welcome the issue of our teams playing against clubs from other countries, but there is an organised system of approaching this,” Gwesela said.
ZIFA board member competitions Piraishe Mabhena and Gwesela also travelled to Egypt at the end of December for a workshop where CAF stressed the need for the Associations to ensure Club Licensing was implemented by their member associations.
Sibanda said ZIFA would not hesitate to ban those who continued to practice without regularising their operations with the Association.
“It must be noted that ZIFA are in charge of football in the country and clubs should desist from taking short-cuts and trying to use unscrupulous intermediaries.
“It is important for clubs to understand that as the FA we are held accountable too for any clubs that visit this country and when our clubs leave for any tour, we help to get their clearance through the Sports Commission.
“So clubs cannot afford to ignore ZIFA on that and for the record Zimbabwe does not have a match agent therefore no local individual, including George Deda, should claim that he is licensed to arrange games for any teams,” Sibanda said.
Gwesela has also hinted on the setting up of a Dispute Resolution Chamber in the envisaged changed set up under Club Licensing.
“The gist of Club Licensing is to ensure that clubs are professional.
“For clubs to be licensed it is now a requirement that they do not owe any money to players.
“When we went to Cairo, Egypt, for a CAF seminar there was a resolution about associations needing to set up the Dispute Resolution Chamber and we are in the process of setting up that chamber here.
“That chamber is going to have equal representation for players and clubs and that chamber will be administered by the association so when everything has been put in place the executive committee will formally announce start of the chamber’s work,” Gwesela said.