A day before the Warriors were set to host Liberia in the Afcon 2023 qualifiers, the Sports and Recreation Commission (SRC) lifted the suspension of the Zifa board.

Zimbabwe was placed in Group K on the road to Côte d’Ivoire but has been disqualified due to the Fifa suspension imposed on the country by Fifa, for ‘third party interference’, after the SRC suspended the Felton Kamambo-led executive.

The Gerald Mlotshwa-led SRC lifted the suspension on the board comprising Farai Jere, Barbra Chikosi and Sugar Chagonda, after the trio was reinstated during the April 23 Zifa council extraordinary general meeting (EGM), which also revoked Kamambo and replaced him with Gift Banda on an interim basis.

The statement from the SRC reads: “The SRC hereby advises the public that following the outcome of the ZIFA extraordinary general congress held on 23rd April, 2022, and the subsequent dismissal, with costs, of the appeals of Messrs. Mamutse, Kamambo, Malandule and Machana against their suspenson by the SRC by the Administrative Court, the Commission has resolved that:-

“(i) That the suspensions of Mrs. Barbara Chikosi and Messrs. Farai Jere and Sugar Chagonda,
have been lifted with immediate effect.
(ii) That the reinstatement of Hon. Gift Banda as ZIFA Vice-President, by the ZIFA Congress during
its EGM at its extraordinary general congress of 23rd April, 2022, has been noted – Hon. Banda
was never the subject of any suspension from the SRC.

“(iii) That the appointment of Hon. Gift Banda as Interim President of ZIFA by the ZIFA Congress
during its EGM aforesaid, is duly noted.
The lifting of the suspensions is based on specific undertakings given to the SRC by members of the
ZIFA delegation in their meeting of 29th April, 2022 with the Board of Commissioners.

“Those undertakings have been reduced to writing and constitute an elaboration of a roadmap,
previously made available to the SRC by FIFA on 6th December, 2021.

“The SRC Board Committee on ZIFA Restructuring is at a point where certain of its recommendations
require to be placed before ZIFA formally. The lifting of the ZIFA suspension will aid in this important
process, particularly in regard to implementation of key reforms.”

“BDO Chartered Accountants have commenced their forensic audit into the financial and operational affairs of ZIFA. Their findings will be made public.The SRC has directed ZIFA to inform FIFA and CAF of these developments.”

What that means is the door on Kamambo is still shut, as he was revoked by the Zifa council and the SRC has endorsed the outcome of the EGM.

The SRC has told Zifa to communicate to Fifa about the development but it’s highly unlikely that the world governing body will lift its sanction on Zimbabwe because it has repeatedly said only the reinstatement of Kamambo will make that possible.