The Sports and Recreation Commission {SRC} has stressed that they are not shaken by FIFA’s ultimatum to replace the suspended Felton Kamambo led ZIFA board by January 3.
SRC chairman Gerard Mhlotswa said they have not yet received any official statement from FIFA about the deadline but they have only saw a letter which is suspected to be from FIFA addressed to the suspended Zifa board.
“ We don’t have any official correspondence from FIFA giving us any deadline for re reinstatement. What we have seen in the media is a letter purportedly from FIFA addressed to a suspended member of ZIFA,” said Mhlotswa.
The Fifa letter which was addressed to Zifa Chief Executive Joseph Mamutse, who is also suspended by SRC, was clear that Zimbabwe faced a possible ban if the board is not reinstated.
Zimbabwe could be banned from the 2021 Africa Cup of Nations finals where they are in the same Group with Guinea, Malawi and Senegal.
But football analyst Admire Muhimeke thinks January 3 would be late for Zimbabwe to be withdrawn from Afcon and opines that the ban could be effected after the tournament.
“The deadline is January 3 but it does not mean a decision would be made there and then.
“There is no way, at this time, CAF would agree to Zimbabwe being thrown out of the tournament.
“Otherwise, it would kill the whole competition ,” said Muhimeke.
Meanwhile, Zimbabwe are in what could be described as an easy Group B with Guinea, Malawi and Senegal but could find it tough due to a lot of regular absentees.
Up to now, Marshall Munetsi of Reims in French Lique 1, Tendai Darikwa of Wigan in English League One, Marvelous Nakamba, Brendon Galloway, also at English clubs and Khama Billiart of Kaizer Chiefs in South Africa have withdrawn for various reasons.
The current crop of Warriors is bidding to become the first group team to reach the second round of Afcon after failure in 2004, 2006,2017 and in 2019 where they were knocked out in the groups.
The target for Zimbabwe is to finish as one of the top two teams, but there is another route if they can make it among the best placed third spot finishers.
Knowledge Musona will captain the Warriors having been the Zimbabwean leader in 2019 and 2019 and now 2021.
