The Council of Southern Africa Football Associations (COSAFA) has summoned the Zimbabwean Football Association (ZIFA) to attend a disciplinary hearing on April 4 for breaching a hosting agreement for 2019 edition of the COSAFA Cup.
This move comes after ZIFA announced it was pulling out of hosting the tournament scheduled for May 19 to June 1.
In a statement on Sunday, COSAFA secretary-general Sue Destombes said ZIFA had breached the hosting agreement between the two parties and had been summoned to appear before a disciplinary hearing.
“The venue for the 2019 edition of the Cosafa Senior Tournament, scheduled from May 25th to June 8th 2019 remains undecided. Zimbabwe Football Association is now in breach of their Hosting Agreement, signed by ZIFA late in January 2019, and returned to COSAFA,” Destombes said.
“Following a Board meeting convened on March 9 in Zimbabwe, ZIFA reconfirmed their commitment to host the tournament in Zimbabwe, irrespective of whether they received Government funding and guarantees.
“ZIFA management committed to presenting to COSAFA written confirmation of this decision no later than March 25.
“Unfortunately they failed to deliver on the nominated deadline which has left COSAFA with no recourse other than to enforce their Disciplinary procedures, which calls for ZIFA to attend a Disciplinary Hearing scheduled for April 4 in Johannesburg.
“The hearing will be handled by COSAFA’s independent judicial body, and the outcome and action will be handed down within 48 hours of the hearing.” Zimbabwe’s senior men’s team face possible suspension from the tournament should the COSAFA Disciplinary Committee come down hard on the country for their late withdrawal.