Zimbabwe FA fires chief executive

Zimbabwe Football Association CEO, Henrietta Rushwaya has been fired after a probe into match fixing allegations against the Zimbabwe national soccer team found she was the “core central point” in the scam which involved referees, players and journalists.

ZIFA board member Ndumiso Gumede was assigned to lead a probe into an unsanctioned trip by the Warriors to Thailand and Malaysia in December last year.

A disciplinary tribunal found her guilty on charges of mismanagement and insubordination among others.

But match-fixing charges against her relating to the national team’s Asian tour last December had been withdrawn pending further investigation.

Rushwaya was suspended by the organisation in July, after she facilitated the national team’s trip to Thailand, Syria and Malaysia in December last year.

“The disciplinary panel found her guilty of the charges levelled against her and as a result, the penalty for that is dismissal,” said labour judge Custom Kachambwa.

She was also found guilty of securing a loan from the Sports and Recreation Commission that could not be accounted for.

Meanwhile, the match-fixing scandal – which implicates a string of the country’s top players, coaches and administrators – has yet to be heard.

In sworn statements, Zimbabwe players and officials recently said they were paid between $500 and $1,500 to throw matches for an Asian betting syndicate on a trip to Thailand and Malaysia.