PRESS STATEMENT.
October 28, 2014
POSITION ON THE "SHEPOLOPOLO".
The Football Association of Zambia has noted with dismay the high level of indiscipline exhibited by the Senior Zambia National Women’s Soccer team after their elimination from the 2014 Africa Women’s Championships in Namibia.
This kind of behavior where a group of young ladies want to hold the Association to ransom is alien to football and cannot be tolerated and condoned.
Never in the recent past has the Association been made to fulfill so many international fixtures and tournaments as has been the case, the last two years, beginning with the qualification of the Under 17 women’s team to the Junior World Women’s Championships in Costa Rica. This was followed by the qualification of the Senior Women’s Team to their maiden Africa Women Championships in Namibia. And then came the qualification of the boys Under 17 and 20 teams to the Africa Youth Championships to be held in early 2015. This is besides the numerous local training camps for the local national team that are costing the Association dearly.
These fixtures and tournaments have taken a heavy toll on the Association’s finance base which has resulted in many sacrifices being made especially with regard to meeting costs for its various sub-committee meetings and other pertinent needs.
The Under 17 and 20 boys teams have both qualified to their respective 2015 African Youth Championship finals with little or nothing from the Association but pride and dedication to duty. The players from these two teams have not held the Association to ransom despite only getting their FIFA approved stipends from the Football Association of Zambia.
It must be further stated that the Association does not receive any form of financial assistance and support from the Government to fulfill programs both for the women and boys junior national teams. FAZ relies on the resources realized from sponsorships and gate revenue from International matches by the Senior National Team to meet these international fixtures.
It has been the resolve of the Association that neglecting junior and women’s programs will negate and impact negatively on the performance of the Senior National Team which is the torch bearer of Zambian football.
In must be emphasized that FAZ has sacrificed a lot of its time and resources to ensure that women and junior national programs are fulfilled, even to the extent of depleting the Association’s resources to the barest minimum.
There are so many players and officials who have sacrificed for this country who have never displayed this callous disregard for authority.
In this regard, The Football Association of Zambia will be taking steps to address issues of the women national football teams going forward.
George M Kasengele
GENERAL SECRETARY.
