FIFA says Cuthbert Dube still in charge
Main News Sports

FIFA says Cuthbert Dube still in charge

WORLD football governing body FIFA says ZIFA president Cuthbert Dube remains the elected head of the national association after it ruled against resolutions passed by some councillors at an ‘alleged’ extraordinary general meeting held at Cresta Oasis Hotel in Harare on May 16.CUTHBERT-DUBE2

Some ZIFA councillors had passed a resolution to suspend Dube and board members Fungai Chihuri and Tawengwa Hara.

On Monday, May 18, FIFA Deputy Secretary-General Markus Kattner wrote to Dube highlighting a breach of the ZIFA constitution in the way the councillors meeting was held and how such gatherings should be convened in terms of the constitution.

“… according to article 28 of the [ZIFA] Constitution, the executive committee of ZIFA has to convene an extraordinary congress within three months if one third of the members asks for it.

“Since the request was made on 16 March 2015, the three months time-lapse has not been completed yet, the deadline being 16 June 2015.

“In addition, the extraordinary congress should have been convened by the secretary-general and chaired by the President, which was not the case,” reads the FIFA letter.

Kattner further declared FIFA’s position regarding unauthorised leadership in member associations, saying the supreme football body will not recognise illegitimate management.

“The conditions set in the ZIFA constitution have therefore not been met and the alleged extraordinary congress is thus considered null and void.

“We remind you that, pursuant to art. 17 par. 3 of the FIFA statutes, any Member’s bodies that have not been elected or appointed by the Member shall not be recognised by FIFA.

Furthermore, art. 17 par. 4 of the FIFA Statutes underlies that decisions passed by bodies that have not been elected or appointed by the Member Association shall not be recognised by FIFA,” Kattner added.

Kattner suggests that the extraordinary congress be held only after the three months stipulated in the constitution has lapsed.

FIFA also feel that the ZIFA councillors misconstrued the advice of FIFA officials who were in the country last week regarding the legality of holding an extraordinary congress.

“We have taken note of the different events which led to the current situation and we understand the ZIFA councillors apparently made of 29 ZIFA members, have mischaracterised the opinion of our representative during his recent mission who clearly stated that the process should be guided by the ZIFA constitution,” Kattner stated.

 

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *