Cuthbert Dube who was recently re-elected to the Zifa presidency, did not attend a CAF workshop held in South Africa last week.
BY MICHAEL MADYIRA
The three-day workshop that began last Wednesday was meant for association presidents, secretary generals and technical directors.
Zifa currently does not have a technical director following the expulsion of Nelson Matongorere in January for illegally voting in the Ballon D’Or.
Newly-elected Zifa vice-president Omega Sibanda attended the workshop together with chief executive officer Jonathan Mashingaidze.
Zifa spokesperson Xolisani Gwesela explained Dube’s absence at the workshop attended by dignitaries from 26 CAF member associations saying the Zifa boss was busy with other commitments at home.
“The president did not attend the CAF workshop because he had other commitments here,” said Gwesela.
“His commitments are not for public consumption. He does not publish his private life in public so I will not elaborate further. Just know that he was represented by Omega Sibanda and Mashingaidze.”
Concerted efforts to obtain a comment from Dube drew blanks with numerous phone calls going unanswered.
Dube has for years been criticised for not frequently attending local football matches.
He however embarked on campaigning crusades since last year visiting provinces, drumming up support which culminated into his re-election.
The important Fifa-sanctioned workshop which Cosafa president Seketu Patel described as “a defining moment for African football” had Fifa secretary general Jerome Valcke as one of the speakers.
“We must be grateful to Fifa,” said Patel. “Each African member association has received around US$6-million in the past decade. This raises the question: What have we done with the opportunities that we have been given? Did we seize the opportunity to improve structurally, or were we content to still do the same as before but more extensively?
“We must show our gratitude to Fifa by doing everything we can to all become, one day, self-sustainable and accountable.”
Valcke pledged support for African football ahead of this year’s World Cup in Brazil.
Five African teams — Nigeria, Algeria, Cameroon, Ivory Coast and Ghana — are chasing history of at least reaching the semifinals.
“We will make sure that you can improve and develop, that you can professionalise your leagues; that you can develop grassroots football for everyone who wants to play football in Africa. We will help you get better, and we want an African team to soon reach the Fifa World Cup Final,” said Valcke.