The Sunday Mail
STUNG by the 2018 World Cup qualifiers’ ban as a result of its failure to pay former Warriors coach Valinhos his dues, Zifa appears to have awoken from its slumber and is engaging Belgian Tom Saintfiet, whom it owes $150 000.
The local football mother body last week wrote to FIFA through chief executive Jonathan Mashingaidze, proposing a payment plan.
The world soccer governing body, as was the case with Valinhos, directed Zifa to the Belgian, who only coached the Warriors for one day before being deported for flouting the country’ immigration laws.
Zifa, according to the association’s communications manager Xolisani Gwesela, had on March 16, 2015 wrote to FIFA requesting for among other things, Saintfiet’s contact details and approval of a proposed payment plan.
In a letter dated March 18, 2015 FIFA deputy secretary to the disciplinary committee Valerie Horyna replied saying:
“As a consequence a possible payment plan has to be agreed upon directly with the creditor in the present case the coach Mr Tom J. M. Saintfiet which is at his own discretion can accept or not the payment plan proposed.
“Should a payment plan be agreed between and signed by the parties concerned the present disciplinary proceedings will be suspended,” wrote Horyna.
Gwesela said Zifa had already engaged the Belgian coach and were hopeful of agreeing terms in the near future.
“Zifa have already started engaging Saintfiet’s lawyer Mr Adam Whyte and we are confident that we will find common ground very soon,” said Gwesela.
