By Andrew Warshaw
October 9 – The Zimbabwe Football Association (ZIFA) has lost out on a grant to help fund match-fixing investigations after failing to meet a deadline set by FIFA.
More than 90 players, officials and administrators have been suspended in the country for alleged match-rigging in what has become known as Asiagate.
FIFA asked the country’s Ethics Committee investigating the scandal to present a final report before September 30 but Cuthbert Dube (pictured top), ZIFA President, has confirmed that it will now have to pay costs.
“FIFA had not told us how much the grant was but had agreed to pay any charge upon submission of the total cost of the investigations,” he was quoted as saying.
“I have been paying the Ethics Committee $10,000 (£6,300/€7,700) per week since December last year hoping that FIFA would chip in when investigations are over.
“But what it now means is that I have lost large sums of money and as ZIFA, we still have to pay more as what I paid them is not enough.”
The Ethics Committee is set to release the full report of their investigation on Thursday (October 11), paving the way for disciplinary proceedings.
Zimbabwe’s beleaguered Football Association is also reportedly being sued by international match agent Kentaro, which is demanding $600,000 (£380,000/€460,000) it says it is owed following Zimbabwe’s friendly against Brazil two years ago.
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