COSAFA Women's Cup: Alleged Sexual Abuse Rock Mighty Warriors Camp

The Zimbabwe Football Association (ZIFA) has initiated investigations into alleged sexual abuse within the Mighty Warriors camp during the ongoing Cosafa Women’s Cup tournament in South Africa. The investigation was prompted by a female member of the technical team who raised concerns about a male member of the backroom staff.

The female member has reportedly been isolated after colleagues accused her of spreading falsehoods to destabilise the team. The team has qualified for the semifinals after a draw against Botswana. In a statement seen by Pindula News, ZIFA’s normalisation committee chairperson, Lincoln Mutasa, emphasised that the association is treating the matter seriously. Read the statement:

REPORTS ON ALLEGATIONS OF MISCONDUCT IN THE SENIOR WOMEN TEAM CAMP

The Zimbabwe Football Association has received a report of misconduct amongst members of the of the Senior Women’s technical team.

The team travelled with a qualified Safeguarding Officer who is on the ground attending to the matter. The association is taking the matter seriously, and is currently carrying out independent investigations to get to the bottom of the allegations.

The public is reminded that this is a delicate matter, and should not make unfounded pronouncements that may jeopardise the investigations. ZIFA condemns all forms of misconduct, and will ensure that anyone found guilty will be punished accordingly.

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According to the Chronicle, the female member lodged a complaint against a male member of the technical staff. The alleged perpetrator had reportedly requested to kiss her before their departure to South Africa and later patted her buttocks when she visited his room to collect team equipment.

Quoted sources stated that the victim has been absent from training sessions since sharing her experience, as she faced ridicule and accusations of being a scorned lover due to her alleged romantic involvement with the accused male staff member. The anonymous source is quoted as saying:

She is so lonely and as I speak to you now, she is crying in her room and did not attend dinner with the rest of the team, it was the same with lunch. The other members of the technical team are now saying she is emotionally unstable and therefore must not mingle with the players as her condition will affect them. They are doing all this just to protect this guy.

According to another source, technical meetings are taking place in the abuser’s room, making it challenging for the victim to attend due to the traumatic experience she had there. The source said:

She needs all the support now because she is certainly in  bad state and anyone in such a condition can do anything but sadly nothing is happening. The people who are supposed to be with her at her hour of need are nowhere near her, they seemingly have chosen the side of the alleged abuser.

The Chronicle reports that the tournament organisers have shown a strong interest in the case and have requested their safeguarding officer, who handles sexual abuse matters, to communicate with the victim. The Mighty Warriors team also has their own safeguarding officer named Dorothy Mugari.

The issue of abuse of women in football circles is a serious concern that has gained attention in recent years. Incidents of harassment, discrimination, and gender-based violence have shed light on the challenges faced by women in the sport. Instances of abuse can occur at various levels, including within teams, coaching staff, administrative bodies, and fan communities. The abuse may take different forms, such as verbal, physical, or emotional mistreatment. 

Just a month ago, Luis Rubiales, the former head of Spain’s football federation, resigned following a scandal where he kissed a female player on the lips after the Women’s World Cup victory. Despite initially rejecting calls to step aside, Rubiales faced intense pressure and eventually quit. An investigating judge is now assessing whether the case should proceed to trial. The player involved, Ms Hermoso, expressed her disappointment and stated that she did not consent to the kiss. She also revealed the pressure she faced and how federation officials coerced her into signing a press statement indicating the kiss was mutual.

Rubiales maintains that the kiss was mutual. False accusations of sexual abuse, although rare, can have serious consequences. They can harm the credibility of real survivors, erode trust in the legal system, and cause emotional distress to those wrongly accused. 

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