Harare — Zifa president Cuthbert Dube has challenged the Warriors to bury a past that has been blighted by allegations of improper conduct and embrace a future where their professionalism will power them to greatness.

The Warriors get their 2012 Nations Cup campaign underway tomorrow in the Battle of Monrovia with a date against Liberia's Lone Star.

The national team has been rocked by allegations that some of their friendly internationals in Asia might have been tainted by the hands of unscrupulous match-fixing syndicates.

Three senior Zifa officials, including chief executive Henrietta Rushwaya, remain on suspension following the scandal. Dube, whose board has been praised in various sectors for its determination to clean the game, wants the Warriors to rise from the nightmare of the scandal and turn into a powerful force again.

Former World Champions Italy rose from a devastating match-fixing scandal in the Serie A, involving clubs that provided the majority of the Azzuri players, to win the World Cup in 2006.

Little Botswana have also risen from complications related to one of their tainted trips to China to re-organise themselves and become a force that is now leading their 2012 Nations Cup qualifying race.

Zifa president Dube now wants the Warriors to bury the ghost of their Asian nightmare and become a force that can qualify for the 2012 Nations Cup finals.

"The Warriors are our flagship and one need not over-emphasise the pride and honour that goes with a national team call up," Dube told a function attended by the national team players, in Harare on Thursday night.

Dube's speech was read by Zifa vice-president Ndumiso Gumede who led an investigation into an unsanctioned trip by the Warriors to Asia last year.

The Zifa board said all players and technical team members who were involved in the Asian trips would not be punished with their thrust firmly on punishing the ring leaders.

"Once a player is capped to represent his nation, the onus will be on the player to demonstrate unquestionable, sportsmanship, dedication and commitment," said Dube.

"A true patriot shall never sell his beloved country for 30 pieces of silver.

"We believe that our Warriors who will do duty starting this weekend will resolutely defend football ethics and bring glory to Zimbabwe.

"As the board we believe that once our campaign starts on a positive note, the rest will fall into place turning our campaign into a success story."

Dube attacked the ring leaders who were behind the controversial trips to Asia.

"We say shame to the perpetrators or ring leaders of such despicable and unpatriotic practice that borders on treason," said Dube.

"I appeal to Government, business and the football fraternity to expeditiously put together a transparent run 'Football Trust' that should mobilise resources locally and beyond borders.

"The trust in question should unlock all sorts of resources abounding in our community, thus enabling us to service the 2012 Nations Cup campaign.

"Our board shall strive to observe the tenets of good corporate governance and the proposed Trust will no doubt benefit from our adherence to corporate governance through accountability and fool-proof management systems," added Gumede

"Tonight heralds a new chapter whose inscriptions about the Warriors march to the Holy Grail, starts today. "The 2012 Africa Cup of Nations campaign occupies a special place in the board's hierarchy of commitments, a special benchmark that we strive to attain."

Dube said the Warriors were a key branch that will be used to judge either the success or failure of his board. "Boards are judged fairly or harshly against the barometer of the national team's accomplishments," said Dube. "We take the 2012 campaign as a litmus test for our ability and commitment to change the football terrain around us.

"We should declare war against Liberia, Cape Verde and Mali and we believe the Warriors will not disappoint. "Our team's success in the campaign shall translate into a plethora of opportunities for the economic transformation of the country.

"A glance of the 'Dream Team' episode aptly demonstrates what a successful national team can do to a nation as a success story unlocks a lot of value for Zimbabwe."