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Kevin Mapasure
ZIFA has edged closer to a Fifa financial boost that would see Zimbabwe’s football supreme body offset its US$2 million debt.
The Cuthbert Dube-led administration has received an encouraging response from Fifa who are sending their financial consultant to look at Zifa’s finances, debts and talk to its creditors before they can advance financial assistance.
Zifa is currently close to US$2 million in the red and have been lobbying the world football governing body to help them offset the debt paving way for a fresh start.
Dube told IndependentSport that they were closer to settling their debt as they have been encouraged by communication with Fifa.
“They are sending a financial consultant here and they have since advised us that its part of the process aimed at advancing us what we require,” said Dube. “So the consultant will be coming in the next two weeks and he will look into our debts and since we had asked for US$2 million they can go back and decide on how much they can help us with. They have been encouraged by our efforts so far and they share our vision for football in this country so we are confident we will finally get the help and make a fresh start.”
Dube said that Zifa owes him close to US$600 000 through loans to cover national teams’ costs and the money he has been taking from his family business to pay workers at both the Zifa house and the Zifa Village.
Dube said that he is going to take advantage of the ongoing Nations Cup tournament where he will meet top Fifa officials, president Sepp Blatter and secretary Jerome Valke to further push Zimbabwe’s case.
“I will take advantage of our meeting in Equatorial Guinea and on the sidelines I will continue to further push our case and I am confident that they have confidence in us and they want to see us going forward and once we get funding things should start to smoothen up.”
Dube said that their financial fortunes are also set to be improved after the completion of the Asiagate probe.
“We have a lot of sponsors waiting in the wings for us to complete the Asiagate scandal probe and they have said once that is out of the way they are willing to come in and fund different projects including the Warriors. We need to clean things up first before people can put in their money and we are very close to that.”
The veteran administrator said he would continue to help with finances where he can as there is little coming in terms of government and corporate support.
“People have been asking why I continue to put in money from my personal business, but the thing is if I had not done that Zifa would have shut down. I am a businessman and have been in business since the 1980s. I am a father and I cannot go home and have a good sleep whilst workers at Zifa are unpaid. I have to use my money because I think about the families of those workers and see the need to reach into my pockets.”
Dube said he uses US$30 000 a month to pay the workers but he is hoping that Zifa financial problems will soon be a thing of the past.
Dube’s tenure in office enters its second year next month and already the administrator has been appointed into top Caf and Fifa committees.
Among other institutions that are owed money by Zifa are the Sports and Recreation Commission, hotels, travel agents and suppliers and other service providers.
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