Zimbabwe Soccer Fans Excoriate ZIFA Following Stadium Chaos

Soccer fans in Zimbabwe were calling for management heads to roll at the Zimbabwe Football Association for mishandling ticketing and crowd-management arrangements for an Olympic qualifying match in Harare against Cameroon's under-23 squad.

Witnesses said pandemonium reigned Wednesday evening at Rufaro Stadium as tens of thousands sought entry while only eight of 16 stadium gates were open to let them in. Moreover, ZIFA had printed only a fraction of the tickets required. Many fans were barred from entry while others broke down gates and forced their way in.

Irate fans have called on the Zimbabwe Sports Commission to force the ZIFA board to resign. The commission was reported to be organizing an emergency meeting with the ZIFA board and team stakeholders to discuss what action should be taken.

Sports commentator Michael Kariati gave reporter Marvellous Mhlanga Nyahuye of VOA's Studio 7 for Zimbabwe an eyewitness account of the stadium chaos.

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