Zimbabwe FA bans former president Chiyangwa for life

The Zimbabwe Football Association (Zifa) has handed former president Philip Chiyangwa a life ban for “bringing Zimbabwean football into disrepute”.

Zifa made the decision on Wednesday after a meeting between the Zimbabwe president, Emmerson Mnangagwa, and the Zifa Executive Committee, which was held on August 9 in Harare.

Chiyangwa had been alleged to have circumvented the government by independently placing a bid for this year’s Cosafa Cup, which was held from May 25 to June 8 in South Africa.

Zimbabwe initially won the bid to host the tournament but reneged on the agreement, leading to their ban and a hefty fine from Cosafa.

“Mr. Philip Chiyangwa was banned for life for bringing Zimbabwean football into disrepute through the 2019 Cosafa Cup bid debacle wherein he unilaterally submitted an incomplete bid document without getting the government guarantee and Zifa Board resolution which ended up attracting a ban form Cosafa where Mr. Chiyangwa is the president,” Zifa’s statement stated.

“Zifa are however appealing on the ban and still pursuing their case with Cosafa to have Mr. Chiyangwa revoked, unlike some sentiments Zifa advises the nation that this case is still alive and believes Mr. Chiyangwa will have his day in Cosafa soon.”

Chiyangwa, who stopped being Zifa president last year, will begin his ban immediately. The sanction implies the former leader will be denied entry into all Zifa authorized football games played in Zimbabwe, football meetings, as well as every associated event in the nation.