ZIFA Rejects Claims Of FIFA Investigation Into Magwizi
ZIFA Normalisation Committee chairman Lincoln Mutasa has dismissed as fake a letter purportedly sent by FIFA, which claimed that the world football body’s independent ethics committee was probing Nqobile Magwizi’s candidature.
Magwizi, reportedly linked to businessman Kudakwashe Tagwirei, who has supported Dynamos and Highlanders financially through his company Sakunda, is among several candidates cleared to run in the upcoming ZIFA presidential elections on January 25.
Speaking to The Herald, Mutasa said it was untrue that they were being probed by FIFA for the manner in which they had accepted Magwizi’s nomination.
He also dismissed claims that his Normalisation Committee may have breached the ZIFA constitution in the process of accepting and rejecting nominations by the association’s board aspirants. Said Mutasa:
We hear there are false claims being made that everyone who had wanted to compete has been invited back, there is no such development.
Mutasa insisted that the process used by the Normalisation Committee was guided by the ZIFA constitution of October 2024, was above board, and was applied equally to all aspirants.
The letter, supposedly written by Martin Ngoga, a FIFA Ethics Committee vice-chairman, is unsigned and erroneously refers to Ngoga as the chairperson of the committee.
The purported FIFA letter, dated January 10, 2014 [which is 11 years ago], was allegedly in response to a letter from an anonymous investigative sports journalist who had red-flagged Magwizi’s candidature. Reads the letter in part:
Thank you for bringing your concerns to the attention of FIFA. We acknowledge receipt of your formal complaint dated 07/01/25 regarding the nomination of Mr Nqobile Magwizi for the presidency of the Zimbabwe Football Association (ZIFA).
FIFA takes allegations of unethical practices, non-compliance with constitutional requirements, political interference, and vote-buying with utmost seriousness.
The issues raised in your correspondence, including the allegations of undue political influence, vote-buying, and OFAC sanctions are of significant concern to FIFA’s commitment to integrity and ethical governance.
In response to your complaint, the matter has been referred to the FIFA Ethics Committee, under the leadership of Chairperson Mr Martin Ngoga, for a thorough investigation.
The committee is committed to conducting a detailed and impartial review of the allegation, ensuring full compliance with FIFA statutes and ethical standards.
The FIFA Ethics Committee will engage with relevant parties, including ZIFA and the Sports and Recreation Commission (SRC), to examine the integrity of the electoral process and address any breaches of governance, ethics, or FIFA’s principles of fair play and political neutrality.
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