Zimbabwe’s 17-month ban has been overturned by the International Football Association Federation (FIFA).
Following the meddling by the nation’s government-appointed Sports and Recreation Commission (SRC), Zimbabwe was banned for seventeen months in February 2022. FIFA’s restrictions against third-party influence were violated by the SRC’s interference.
The nation’s football team was disqualified from the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations and the 2024 Women’s AFCON qualifying rounds.
But on Tuesday, July 11, 2023, during a press conference in Harare that was broadcast on 1Family Radio, Solomon Mudege, the head of FIFA’s African development, declared that the embargo had been lifted.
“I want to assure Zimbabwe that you have the complete support of FIFA and of the Confederation of African Football (CAF) in ensuring that Zimbabwean football reaches the heights we’ve all desired,’’ he stated.
This implies that Zimbabwe will be eligible to take part in the forthcoming World Cup 2026 qualifiers, which are scheduled to start on Wednesday.
In addition, FIFA urged the interim committee to create a collaboration agreement between the SRC and the Zimbabwe Football Association (ZIFA) to address sexual harassment issues, as the SRC’s interference is related to allegations that some ZIFA officials have sexually harassed female referees.
Source: 1Familyradio
