Zambia: FAZ Bows to Pressure

18 March 2011

THE Football Association of Zambia (FAZ) has bowed to pressure and postponed the week one Super Division matches that were scheduled to kick off tomorrow to April 2, a week after holding the much-awaited annual general meeting.

But FAZ interim committee president Andrew Kamanga said it was unfortunate that the Kalusha Bwalya executive had to wait for a directive from the Sports Council of Zambia (SCZ) for them to postpone the week one fixtures.

Kamanga, who is also Kabwe Warriors chairperson, wondered what was wrong with Football House accepting that they were merely following the SCZ directive unlike saying they have postponed the games.

He said it was wrong for FAZ to wait for other people to make decisions on their behalf in a matter that they could have dealt with only if they had heeded the members’ concerns to start the league after the annual general meeting (AGM).

“It is so unfortunate that FAZ had to wait for a directive from the Sports Council of Zambia for them to cancel the matches and all that was unnecessary because they could have made that decision on their own.

What would be happening now is that people will start making decisions for them since they seem not to be capable of doing so on their own,” Kamanga said.

FAZ vice-president Boniface Mwamelo announced in a Press statement yesterday that the games have been postponed despite the association facing a tight football calendar affecting television schedules and international fixtures.

He said this is despite facing a situation of a very tight football calendar, affecting global live television schedules, the international calendar and preparation time for continental championships like the 2012 Nations Cup finals next January in Gabon and Equatorial Guinea.

Mwamelo said the SCZ has been informed of this decision and that it therefore satisfies their directive to postpone the start of league games.

Mwamelo said the association wished every member and club the best of luck in the new season and was looking forward to welcoming them to the AGM next week Saturday.

AllAfrica – All the Time