THE Sports and Recreation Commission are today set to release the long-awaited ZIFA Restructuring Committee report that is widely expected to transform Zimbabwean football forever.
The report was prepared by a nine-member committee set up by the Sports Commission in December 2021 as part of the strategic roadmap towards addressing the issues that have affected football management and administration in Zimbabwe for many years.
This committee, made up of experts in various fields of administration, sports management, legal advisory and business management, was acting independent of ZIFA and the Sports Commission and had the autonomy to discharge its functions more fully as set out in its terms of reference.
Their report is a product of one year of intense research and it aims to address the current status quo within football structures and administration and recommends solutions designed to usher in a new and refreshing chapter for local football.
The findings and recommendations will help Zimbabwe address the challenges that have bedevilled football administration for many years.
Sports Commission spokesperson, Elta Nengomasha, confirmed the report will be officially tabled today. The report is expected to be handed over to ZIFA for debate and possible adoption of its recommendations.
Chairman of the ZIFA Restructuring Committee, Blessing Rugara, said his team held extensive engagements with all the football stakeholders in coming up with the document.
"In line with its terms of reference, the ZIFA Restructuring Committee conducted stakeholder engagement forums with the goal of providing a comprehensive report detailing findings, recommendations, reforms and strategies for the proper administration of football in Zimbabwe.
"The report aims to address the current status quo within football structures and administration and offers solutions designed to usher in a new and refreshing chapter for local football, thereby establishing Zimbabwe as a leading football nation on the African continent and beyond.
"This mission is also consistent with the overarching objectives of FIFA outlined in Article 2 of the FIFA Statutes," said Rugara in a recent statement.
The other members of the Committee were leading sports expert Tommy Sithole, former Zimbabwe Olympic Committee chief executive Anna Mguni, banker Desmund Ali, lawyer Rudo Mugandani, former SRC Matabeleland provincial coordinator Brian Busani Moyo, Doves Holdings General Manager Marketing Joel Gombera, former CAPS United administrator Joyce Kapota and CAPS United legend Charles Sibanda.
The committee was appointed in line with the provisions of Section 21, as well as 19(b) and 20 (c) of the SRC Act to tackle issues of strategic nature in the search for solutions in Zimbabwe's perennial football administration problems.
When the committee was appointed, the ZIFA board had just been suspended on various allegations which included lack of transparency with public funds, maladministration, bribery, vote-buying during election time and the sexual harassment of female referees.
According to the ZIFA Restructuring Committee's terms of reference, the principal role of the Restructuring Committee was to review and recommend reforms in the administration of football in Zimbabwe in the following areas: the ZIFA constitution, ZIFA executive, junior football development, strategic plan, elections and forensic audit.
According to Rugara, the Committee's report is divided into three parts and includes specific recommendations:
1. A presentation titled "Final Report of the ZIFA RC," which is a summative report that aggregates recommendations arising from the committee's deliberations.
2. Annexure 1, a "Findings Report of the ZIFA RC," which is a comprehensive summation of the ideas, deliberations, and submissions that framed the committee's work.
3. Annexure 2, "Proposals for Constitutional Reform," which provides context for the discussions around the ZIFA Constitution, which the committee views as the key to restructuring ZIFA and charting a new way forward.
The Restructuring Committee has delivered on their mandate by requesting a forensic audit into the ZIFA books and producing the report that is expected to be tabled today.
The Restructuring Committee's final report is as crucial to the reforms as the forensic audit report that was produced by an independent audit firm recently. The report unearthed massive financial irregularities at ZIFA.
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Football in this country is currently in limbo following the suspension of ZIFA's membership by FIFA. But many developments are expected this year through the anticipated football reforms.
Upon the receipt of the final BDO forensic audit report as well as that of the Restructuring Committee, ZIFA are expected to convene an extraordinary general meeting of its members to consider the same.
Thereafter, the issues adopted during the EGM will form the basis of the Implementation Matrix, with times and deadlines for the discharge of agreed reform goals. This matrix will be made available to FIFA and CAF.
The country's football governing body was left with a lot of soul-searching after a forensic audit carried by an independent auditor unearthed massive financial irregularities at 53 Livingstone Avenue.
The audit by BDO Zimbabwe revealed that ZIFA could have been prejudiced of over US$600 000 and over ZW$73 million in local currency during Felton Kamambo's tenure. The audit covered the period between December 1, 2018 and November 30, 2021.
The ZIFA board is expected to table the audit report at the Annual General Meeting for discussion and adoption later this month.
