Full ZIFA Media Statement Reveals CAF Gaffe In Postponed Zim-Zambia Match

ZIFA has released a a full media statement revealing the events that led to the postponement of the CHAN Qualifier between Zimbabwe Zambia.

We print it here unredacted:

The CHAN Qualifier match between Zimbabwe and Zambia was set to take place today (Sunday), 11th August 2013 , 3 pm at Rufaro stadium in Harare. The Match Commissioner for the match was Ian McLeod from South Africa. Other match officials were from Cameroon included Juenkou WandjiA (referee) , Noupue Nguedoue (1st assistant referee) , Lambi J. Fuanta (2nd Assistant referee and Nde Christopher Ade ( Fourth official) .
When we got the appointment of the Referees, we wrote to CAF on Monday the 5th of August 2013, protesting against the appointment of Referees from as far as Cameroon. Our argument was based on the fact that they would be logistical challenges in their travelling and that it would be expensive to fly them from Cameroon. We appealed to CAF to appoint Referees from Southern Africa. CAF rejected our request and insisted that we use Referees from Cameroon. We went ahead and issued tickets for the Match Commissioner and the Referees from Cameroon.
The Match Commissioner arrived in Harare on the 10th of August 2013, at 10.20 am. Amazingly, the Referees from Cameroon were not on the flight but were supposed to arrive the same time with the Match Commissioner. We had already arranged visas for the referees with our Immigration department. We communicated with the Referees ,only to be told that they had missed a connecting flight to Harare. We quickly advised the Match Commissioner Mr Ian McLeod, who also advised that we look for alternatives. We quickly engaged COSAFA through the Chief Operating Officer, Mrs Sue Destombes. She also quickly engaged the COSAFA President, Mr Seketu Patel who advised that we engage our sister Football Association SAFA.
We engaged SAFA and they quickly confirmed that they had available referees who could officiate in the CHAN qualifier match between Zimbabwe and Zambia. We swiftly arranged with our travel agent and sent tickets for the match officials to South Africa at 12.20pm. We had pre-match meeting at 6pm at Holiday Inn, Harare and the Match Commissioner advised the meeting ,that CAF had turned down the arrangement to use South African referees. The Match Commissioner made it explicitly clear that according to CAF rules, changing match officials would jeopardise the integrity of the game. The Match Commissioner also made it abundantly clear that we either postpone the match by 24hrs or we wait for the Referees from Cameroon. This according to him was in tandem to CAF rules.

We then agreed to reschedule the match to 4.30 pm in anticipation that Referees will arrive at 3.30pm. Today the referees communicated to us that they had failed to get a connecting flight to Harare in time and were then going to leave Nairobi at 11.20 am and arrive in Harare at midnight.
We then had a meeting with FAZ officials that included their President Mr Kalusha Bwanya. It was agreed that the match be postponed to Sunday, the 18th August 2013.The venue will be Rufaro stadium . The match Commissioner also communicated with CAF who also agreed that the Match be postponed to the 18th of August 2013. The Association through the Zimbabwe Republic Police announced at the stadium that all ticket holders had to keep their tickets and use them for the rescheduled match.
The Zimbabwe Football Association would like to apologise for the postponement of the match. We had fully prepared for the match and we had even booked for flood lights in case the match was going to extend into evening. Unfortunately, circumstances were beyond our control. We will communicate with CAF to appoint referees from Southern Africa by not later than 13th of August 2013. We will also engage the Premier Soccer League on the new developments. The Warriors will troop into camp on the 13th of August 2013.
INSERTED BY THE ZIFA COMMUNICATIONS MANAGER , XOLISANI GWESELA.
11 AUGUST 2013
CC :ZIFA President DR Curthbert Elkana Dube
: ZIFA Vice President Ndumiso Gumede
: ZIFA Board Members