The Sunday Mail
Don Makanyanga
OUSTED Zimbabwe Chess Federation (ZCF) president Collen Tongowona has been accused of fleecing the association close to US$3 000 meant for air tickets for national team players who are due to travel to the World Chess Olympiad.
The 44th World Chess Olympiad begins in Chennai, India, on July 28 and ends August 10.
A vote of no confidence was passed on Tongowona last week.
The Sunday Mail Online has it on good authority that the decision was reached following a probe into abuse of funds meant for the players’ air tickets.
It is alleged that Tongowona hatched a plan to over-charge ZCF for the tickets.
He reportedly claimed US$900 instead of U$700 per person for airfares to Mumbai.
The matter came to light when it was discovered that Tongowona’s ticket to Chennai was cheaper than those of the players who had been scheduled to travel via Mumbai.
It was also established that visas for the travelling team had not yet been sorted as players were being requested to pay for them despite the International Chess Federation having availed funds for visas.
This prompted players to threaten a boycott of the Olympiad.
Sixty-six (66) affiliate bodies, however, met to deliberate on the matter and resolved to boot out the ZCF president.
Tongowona was also accused of deliberately scuttling efforts to regularise ZCF constitution in line with a Sports and Recreation Commission (SRC) directive.
Further, he stands accused of hand-picking officials and players to the Olympiad and other competitions, which is against ZCF regulations.
In light of the latest developments, ZCF vice president Mucha Mkanganwi will take charge until September 30 when the federation is expected to hold elections under the constitution, which is being amended to comply to the SRC requirements.
Mkanganwi issued a brief statement through which he admitted ZCF had been rocked by some problems.
“We have had too many fires to put out in a very short space of time with regards to acquisition of tickets, visas and attire for the team.
“I am excited and impressed with the strides that we made within such a limited time.
“We are doing the best we can for our senior team to create the best environment for them to compete at their best,” said Mkanganwi.
Although he was reluctant to discuss much, ZCF secretary-general Todd Mapingire confirmed they were still investigating the allegations levelled against Tongowona.
“I cannot confirm nor deny the allegations, but currently as ZCF we are investigating issues which have been brought to our attention.
“We can only be in a position to issue a full statement when we are done with our investigations,” said Mapingire.
However, Tongowona dismissed the allegations as a smear campaign against him.
“The allegations are coming from power-hungry people.
“I am the official president of ZCF, recognised by International Chess Federation, Africa Chess Confederation and SRC.
“The vote of no confidence is not provided for in the constitution and those who wrote the petition never mentioned a vote of no confidence but it was hijacked by the ones I appointed,” he said.
“The rule of the game is if you are not happy with the one who appointed you, you just resign, period!
“The VP resigned and I accepted his resignation and he has returned through the back-door; it does not work like that.”
He said the SRC had ask ZCF to come up with an amended constitution by end of September.
He also denied any involvement in the ticket and visa scandal.
“I didn’t pay for any; I am not the treasurer. I never talked to any player about visas because there was a selection committee dedicated to this function, and not the president.”
