The development comes barely a month after Mirriam Sibanda, the national women soccer boss, told parliament that the ZIFA secretariat was neglecting girls. She likened women’s soccer to a wife who has been left alone to fend for herself and the family while the husband goes away to party.
An investigation carried by The Zimbabwean in the central region revealed that the problems affecting the sport at national level are worse in the lower leagues.
Apart from Air Force Chapungu which is bankrolled by the Zimbabwe Defence Forces, it is gloom in dressing rooms of other teams. Players who spoke on condition of anonymity bared all and told a sorry story about their situation “Sometimes the women players faint on the field of play because teams fail to cater for basic things like mineral water. Other teams also fail to provide lunch for their players on the match day,” said one player.
A senior administrator at another team added her voice to the house on fire. “Most of the teams are now owned by the communities they come from. So they fail to secure funds to fulfil away fixtures, pay allowances to players and meet camping costs. So from the administrators to players its demotivation all the way, meaning fans cannot get the best on the end,” she said.
Recently a match between GCC Ingwe and Phoenix could not be held due to the financial problems.
Beullah Musara, the women central region football chairperson, was diplomatic about the challenges but said the lack of sponsorship is at the centre of the quagmire.
“What we just need is a sponsor. We also need running knockout tournaments like we have seen in the men’s league where the year open with the Bob Cup, then we see the Mbada Diamonds Cup, Netone wallet Cup, Chibuku Cup, Independence Trophy. We have talent in the women’s football that is far better than the senior men’s team. If unlocked it can even take us to the world cup,” she said.
Post published in: Football