By Sports Reporter
THE Council of Southern Africa Football Associations (Cosafa) has dismissed attempts by the Felton Kamambo-led ZIFA board to recall former local football boss Phillip Chiyangwa from his position as the president of the regional football bloc after reminding them that they had no authority to do so.
ZIFA last week wrote to Cosafa seeking to recall Chiyangwa from his position as Cosafa president amid accusations he fronted a “third force” that allegedly destabilised the Warriors camp during their disappointing Africa Cup of Nations campaign in Egypt.
However, in a strongly worded response, Cosafa secretary Sue Destombes reminded the ZIFA leadership that they had no constitutional right to recall Chiyangwa from his position at the regional body.
“Your allegations against the former president of Zifa whether founded or unfounded, are domestic in nature and should therefore be dealt with in Zimbabwe. These issues have nothing to do with COSAFA,” Destombes said in the letter addressed to the ZIFA secretary general Joseph Mamutse.
“The president was duly elected by the General Assembly of Cosafa in December 2016 in accordance with Article 10.3 of the statutes.
“The Zimbabwe Football Association does not have the right to “recall Dr Phillip Chiyangwa as Cosafa president” despite his nationality.”
Destombes warned Zifa against trying to resolve its domestic problems using Cosafa, saying this was tantamount to bringing the game into disrepute.
“The Zimbabwe Football Association, a member of COSAFA should not seek use the office of the president of Cosafa to resolve domestic disputes and in so doing, bring the Zonal Union and the Presidency into disrepute,” reads part of the letter in possession of NewZimbabwe.com.
Cosafa also revealed that it was unmoved by ZIFA’s threat to withdraw from activities under the regional body if Chiyangwa continued in his role as the bloc’s president.
“It is the prerogative of any member association to consider whether or not to participate in activities of the zonal union. We trust that the association will act in a responsible manner and seek to resolve any differences so that the focus of the leadership can be football development and reaching the full and considerate potential which Zimbabwe has.”
The response by Cosafa comes after ZIFA on Thursday evening wrote to Destombes revealing that it was formally recalling Chiyangwa from the regional bloc.
Chiyangwa’s ally and board member Chamu Chiwanza was also suspended from his position on the ZIFA excecutive committee following accusations of “electoral fraud, threatening a member of the ZIFA Congress and distabilising Warriors Afcon camp amongst a host of other charges.
