Zimbabwean players' plea to officials as ban continues to hit hard

It has been seven months since the Zimbabwean Football Association (ZIFA) was banned from international football by the world™s football mother body FIFA, due to government interference.

The suspension of ZIFA stems from the suspension of its Executive Committee by the Zimbabwean Sports and Recreation Committee (SRC), owing to a number of some alleged transgression, including some sexual related allegations against female referees, fraud and corruption.

Veteran Zimbabwean international and SuperSport United Captain Onismor Bhasera says as players they are struggling because of this and are calling for the powers that be, back home to resolve this situation.

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Bhasera adds that this is affecting them badly and is calling for calm heads so that the ban can be lifted.

œIt™s sad what's happening down there with the talent we have, you know the talent which was produced in the previous years and now the talent which is there and the guys can™t show case in the international level, it™s sad for the young ones and also the ones who have been there.

"Whatever is happening they need to sort out their house between the association and they need to sort out their difference and find a common ground so we can move forward".

œIt™s a plea from me and from all the players who have been involved in the national team and who haven™t to please if they can sort out whatever the difference and find the common ground and work this things out so that FIFA can lift up the ban," said Bhasera.

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Zimbabwe™s ban means that all their national teams and clubs cannot play in regional, continental and international competitions. And this has affected all their national teams and also stopped their clubs from entering for the CAF inter-club competitions.

In an interview with SABC Sport this number, Zimbabwean international goalkeeper George Chigovha also weighed in on the frustration this is bringing to the players

œThat situation is bad for the players and for the country because now I think there is an international window coming but you as players you know that you not going to participate with whatever is going on between the government and the associations.

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œI just feel like they must just find a common ground and solve this thing out for the sake of the players and the nation, because it™s nice when your national team is playing-people will have something to cheer about, but now we don™t know when the situation is going to be resolved and there are young kids coming up, their wish is also to play outside the country but how are they going to play outside the country if they are not participating in the national U-17, U-20, so it™s the bad situation for all the players and the country as a whole, Chigovha told SABC Sport.

By Velile Mnyandu