By Staff Reporter
Independent Norton lawmaker Temba Mliswa has described the recent statements by world football governing body FIFA that Zimbabwe remains suspended from international football as empty talk.
FIFA president Gianni Infantino on Thursday moved a motion at a FIFA congress that ZIFA should remain suspended as the association has not fulfilled the requirements that warrant a review of its status.
Posting on twitter Mliswa said Zimbabwe has laws that were enacted by Parliament and as such FIFA should respect them.
“FIFA upholding our suspension is hot air. We cannot have such a Mafia organisation giving us conditions on how we operate even when we can see the blatant failure of those in charge. Sepp Blatter worked well with Leo Mugabe and all the succeeding Chairpersons. Now Gianni Infantino should emulate the same and work well with us. We have our own laws which make the SRC supreme, able and allowed to intervene when sporting organisations are failing to fulfil their mandates. There is no constitution of the world but of the country.
“The laws that are enacted in our Parliament must be respected and allowed to work without interference from FIFA. We can’t have criminals running institutions and then be protected by FIFA. We will suffer nothing from being suspended by FIFA as nothing was happening. There was a time when it worked. The days of Grabowski, Shepherd Murape, Obadiah Sarupinda, Ashton Papa Nyazika. Players were groomed from a very young age. Players like Alois Bunjira, Stewart Murisa etc. We should take advantage of this suspension to revive those structures!
“There has to be proper structures in sport from schools going up. If political parties have structures why shouldn’t we have the same for our sports? Can you show me the Zifa program or policy for development? Where is the Coca Cola Cup? It’s gone due to bad administration. Why should we continue supporting failures? We don’t eat FIFA and we can play among ourselves. We should have proper administrators before we come back. The SRC should put in place a criteria for who can be in Zifa. It’s not politics that has an open door for everyone,” said Mliswa
Mliswa a fitness trainer by profession described FIFA as a mafia organisation that is seeking to hold the country’s football at ransom.
“Look at Dynamos, it’s all shambolic due to the same problems. Every year they are in court fighting. I’m more of a sports person and understand what I’m saying. I ended up in politics because I couldn’t be part of this type of sports administration.
“They abuse money, are corrupt& so forth. Can they show us their CVs in sports administration. Where have they run sports before? Do they have the requisite skills& qualifications to lead sports development? Where have they used the funds they received. Nothing! So why keep them?
“There is nothing clean about FIFA itself that is why it is comfortable with an equally corrupt ZIFA. It is essentially a Mafia. A football cartel that is now seeking to hold us to ransom. We shouldn’t capitulate to that! Let’s restructure our systems and in 10-15 years we will be back. We can’t be held at ransom by FIFA. Government must maintain its position.” he said.
