HARARE – The Zimbabwe Football Association (ZIFA) has banned for life its former president Phillip Chiyangwa and his deputy Omega Sibanda from all football activities.

In a statement on Wednesday, ZIFA said Chiyangwa “brought Zimbabwean football into disrepute through the 2019 COSAFA Cup final hosting bid debacle wherein he unilaterally submitted an incomplete bid document without getting the government guarantee and ZIFA board resolution which ended up attracting a ban form COSAFA where Chiyangwa is the president.”

Zimbabwe was fined US$200,000 by COSAFA or alternatively banned indefinitely from all future tournaments after it pulled out of hosting the 2019 tournament, citing budget constraints.

ZIFA says it is appealing against the ban and still pursuing its bid to recall Chiyangwa from COSAFA.

Sibanda, ZIFA said, was banned for life “following his incessant interference with ZIFA judicial bodies during which he sought to influence a ZIFA lawyer to throw away a ZIFA electoral case, in a bid to foment turmoil in Zimbabwean football.”

Chiyangwa and Sibanda, ZIFA said, “will no longer with immediate effect be allowed entry into all ZIFA-sanctioned football matches played in Zimbabwe, football meetings, conferences and indaba.”

“The position taken by ZIFA does not absolve the two individuals from being further brought to book for more transgressions that are still to be concluded and under investigation,” the association added.

Chiyangwa and Sibanda were voted out in 2017, with Felton Kamambo assuming the ZIFA presidency.

In the same statement, ZIFA also announced that Rodrick Chamunorwa Chiwanza had been removed as an executive committee member of the association following a disciplinary hearing.

“Chiwanza was found guilty in respect of two charges of fraud and bringing the game of football into disrepute. Consequently, the Disciplinary Committee verdict is that Chiwanza be expelled from being an executive committee member with immediate effect,” according to the statement signed by ZIFA general secretary Joseph Mamutse.