daniel chigunwe
Zimpapers Sports Hub
ONE of the candidates in the upcoming ZIFA presidential elections, Phillemon Machana, has scoffed at allegations levelled against him to the ZIFA Ethics Committee.
Machana is among individuals targeted by shadowy members of the public writing letters to the ZIFA Ethics Committee, who are currently conducting eligibility tests on the candidates running for the vice-presidency and board member positions.
One K. Mugadzaweta called on the ZIFA Ethics Committee to nullify Machana’s candidacy early this week, accusing the former ZIFA board member of having been fingered in some audit on the ZIFA financials from the previous executive. However, Machana’s lawyer, Admire Rubaya, yesterday wrote to the ZIFA Normalisation Committee’s Electoral Committee dismissing the allegations, saying they were meant to disadvantage his client’s standing during the eligibility assessment whose results will be published on Monday next week.
“The above matter refers, in particular, to our above-mentioned client, who instructs us to engage with you regarding a purported criminal complaint lodged against him by K. Mugadzaweta, whose further details remain unknown to him. Please note our professional interest in this matter.
“Our client has come across the attached document, which was shared in a
WhatsApp group named “The Soccer Debator” (sic).
“Upon reviewing the attached documents, it appears that our client was reportedly reported to ZACC on 13th December 2024.
“It is evident that the alleged criminal complaint was copied and delivered to both ZIFA and SRC on 16th December 2024.
“It is also evident that the criminal complaint submitted to ZACC was copied to the ZIFA Ethics Committee. We hasten to posit that the timing of this alleged complaint is highly suspicious and raises significant concerns, as it appears to be a deliberate attempt to:
“3.1 Cast our client in a negative light and damage his reputation by portraying him as a reckless and incorrigible offender, which is entirely false.
3.2 to color the minds and unduly influence the evaluation of our client’s candidacy by raising unfounded concerns about his eligibility for the position that he applied for.
3.4 We view this action as a malicious attempt to undermine our client’s candidacy and tarnish his reputation . . . ”
Rubaya further said,
“Consequently, in view of the unfounded and malicious nature of these allegations, which seek to unjustly damage our client’s reputation and unfairly impede his candidacy, we are compelled to bring this matter, as we hereby do, to the attention of the ZIFA Normalisation Committee and the ZIFA Ethics Committee.
“Our client cannot stand idly by while these baseless accusations are allowed to potentially influence the election process.
“From the onset, our client asserts that this orchestrated campaign, culminating in the submission of this dubious report to ZACC and the Ethics Committee, is part of a wider smear campaign that attempts to sabotage our client’s candidacy through underhanded tactics and manufactured accusations. These unfounded allegations are a desperate ploy to discredit him and undermine his chances of success.
“We implore and urge the committee to dismiss these baseless claims with the contempt they deserve.”
Rubaya said the basis at which the accusations are culminating from is unfounded.
“This entire charade rests on the flimsy foundation of an unofficial and FIFA-nullified forensic report allegedly prepared by BDO. This discredited report should not be given any weight in the committee’s deliberations.
“However, for the avoidance of doubt, we will proceed to consider the allegations and respond thereto as follows:
