Zimbabwe’s women’s football is set for a major overhaul as the country’s football association announced the dissolution of the executive committee that ran the top-flight league.
The Zimbabwe Football Association (ZIFA) Normalization Committee said in a press statement on Wednesday that it had decided to dissolve the Zimbabwe Women Super League executive committee ahead of the 2024 league season.
The statement cited poor governance, irregularities in the application of rules and regulations, and lack of professionalism as some of the reasons for the move.
The dissolved committee was led by Barbara Chikosi as chairperson and will be replaced by an interim committee that will be appointed soon, according to ZIFA.
The ZIFA Normalization Committee was established in 2022 by the Confederation of African Football (CAF) to run the affairs of Zimbabwean football after the suspension of the previous ZIFA board over allegations of corruption and mismanagement.
Challenges and Opportunities
Women’s football has been poorly administered in the country, with the top-flight league games being played under substandard conditions.
Last season, several teams failed to fulfill fixtures, with others pulling out during the season due to financial and logistical challenges.
ZIFA said it was committed to improving the state of women’s football in the country and ensuring that the league is run in a transparent and accountable manner.
ZIFA also said it would work closely with the CAF and FIFA to implement the necessary reforms and development programs for women’s football.
Zimbabwe’s women’s football has a lot of potential, as evidenced by the national team’s qualification for the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. However, the team has struggled to maintain its momentum due to a lack of adequate support and resources.
ZIFA said it hoped that the dissolution of the executive committee would pave the way for a new era of women’s football in the country, with more opportunities for players, coaches, and administrators.
A Brighter Future
The dissolution of the executive committee comes at a time when women’s football in Africa is receiving more attention and investment from the continental and global football bodies.
CAF president Patrice Motsepe has prioritized the growth of women’s football in the continent, since assuming office in 2023.
The South African billionaire has made some efforts to propel this agenda, such as increasing the Women Africa Cup of Nations prize money by 150%, from USD 975 000 to USD 2 400 000.
He has also pledged to launch a women’s Champions League in Africa, as well as to support the development of women’s football infrastructure and capacity building.
ZIFA said it was optimistic that the dissolution of the executive committee would mark the beginning of a new chapter for women’s football in the country, and that it would work hard to ensure that the 2024 league season is a success.
They also urged all its stakeholders, including the clubs, players, fans, sponsors, and media, to support the interim committee and the women’s football desk, which will be addressing all women’s football matters in the meantime.
Source: New ZimbabweÂ
