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Will Sepp Blatter's Departure Hurt Zimbabwe Soccer?


FILE: FIFA President Sepp Blatter kicks a ball during the inauguration of a football stadium in the village of Dura Al-Qari' near the West Bank city of Ramallah, May 20, 2015.
FILE: FIFA President Sepp Blatter kicks a ball during the inauguration of a football stadium in the village of Dura Al-Qari' near the West Bank city of Ramallah, May 20, 2015.

The sudden resignation of FIFA president Joseph Sepp Blatter has had a strong impact on Zimbabwean football.

The future is uncertain for Blatter’s associates with pressure mounting for some of those alleged to be corrupt to step down.

Zifa president Cuthbert Dube is one of them and the football fraternity is unanimous in their agreement that the former Buymore Football Club owner has to do the honorable thing and follow the footsteps of the Swiss sweet talker.

Dube is a close ally of Blatter and openly declared his support for the Swiss during the recent Fifa presidential election.

Warriors supporter Andrew Rwodzi says the Zifa boss must also step down.

The Zimbabwean football supreme body, the Zifa Council, is meeting next weekend to decide the fate of Dube and Zifa Chief Executive Officer Jonathan Mashingaidze.

Former Warriors striker, Alois Bunjira ,who in 1996 won the Zimbabwean league title with Caps United, has urged the Zifa Council to make a bold decision on these two.

Only three weeks ago, the Zifa Council met and resolved to boot Dube out of the association but that decision was overturned by Fifa on the premise that the Council did not properly follow the constitution.

With Blatter now out of the picture, football analyst Farai Kambamura says the current football leaders have overstayed at Livingstone Avenue.

The Zifa Council Extra ordinary meeting could all but seal the future of Dube in Zimbabwean football.

Both Dube and Mashingaidze were not available for comment. They have over the years distanced themselves from corrupt activities at Zifa.

PREMIER SOCCER LEAGUE

That aside. Action continues on the field of play with the Castle Lager Premier Soccer League programme reaching its 13th game of the season.

The game of the week is with no doubt the top of the table clash between leaders Chicken Inn and fourth placed Chapungu at Ascot Stadium.

The Game Cocks lead the table by four points and a win over the Airforce of Zimbabwe side could see them open a huge gap at the top as second-placed Dynamos are not guaranteed a win in their away game at ZPC Kariba.

Chicken Inn coach Joey Antipas believes their off season rebuilding is paying dividends adding that they are on course for the win the league championship this year.

Dynamos will not have it easy on their visit to Nyamhunga Stadium in Kariba after taking the title off ZPC Kariba on the last day of play last season.

The home team’s supporters have always said they are after Dynamos’ crown and one of them, Tonderai Mushayavanhu, says Dynamos have disappointed in Africa and now is their turn.

Also appetizing is the game in Bulawayo between neighbours How Mine and Highlanders.

How Mine coach Luke Masomere knows the dangers of Highlanders especially when they are under the weather.

The other matches on this weekend’s menu are as follows: Triangle versus Tsholotsho Pirates; Caps United vs Flame Lilly; Buffaloes vs Hwahwa; Hange vs FC Platinum; Dongo FC vs Harare City.

ZIMBABWE CRICKET

In cricket: Zimbabwe Cricket have lined up an exciting bumper programme that will see seven incoming international tours despite being $15 million in the red.

Each tour will cost at least $2 million and Zimbabwe Cricket chairman Wilson Manase revealed that the tours will include a Series return against Pakistan as well New Zealand and South Africa.

Manase says for the first time in a decade England are also sending teams to play in Zimbabwe.

Cricket in Zimbabwe has been going through a period of gradual decline both in terms of spectators and performance on the field of play and the tours could help in bringing back the good old days.

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