COSAFA disqualified Zambia on Thursday following fresh Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) tests carried out on forward Nicholas Mulilo and Benjamin Phiri in Mauritius, which found the players over the age of 17.
FAZ general secretary Ponga Liwewe said at a media briefingthe suspension will pave way for investigations into the debacle.
“The full technical bench of the U17 team is suspended to allow for a comprehensive investigation into the matter.
These are Head Coach Osward Mutapa, Assistant Coaches Perry Mutapa and Charles Bwale, Goalkeeper Coach Kalililo Kakonje, Team Doctor Mwila Lupasha, Team Physiotherapist Ephraim Mphanza and the Team Manager Collins Phiri,” Liwewe said.
He said FAZ was seeking clarification about the processes and methodology used in the MRI testing following the outcome of the second test in Mauritius.
“Prior to departure, the U-17 team underwent medical tests at a recognised medical facility in Lusaka and Of the 26 players, 20 were passed as meeting the requirements for U17 competition. It is these 20 players who travelled to Mauritius,” Liwewe stated.
FAZ have also suspended committee member Kabaso Kapambwe who was the delegation leader in Mauritius.
“The suspension of Executive Committee Member Kabaso Kapambwe who was the delegation leader, will be referred to the Executive Committee for determination in line with the FAZ Constitution.”
The team had reached the semi-finals before it was disqualified.
Kamanga and entire FAZ executive must resign, they have really embarrassed our country. #Kamanga must go.
This is worse than Russian “state sponsored” doping. Ban the team indefinitely.
Is faz guilty or what? are they telling us that Faz did not know the players who went for scans in Zambia and they also didn’t know who went to represent us in Mauritius? why pass the blame on our uneducated technical bench?
The technical bench gave faz the list of players they wanted. you sent them for scans, you bought them tickets and they went. so who is to blame here?
I think this is a lesson that we should not even change government next month. people in opposition lose all their senses before they get into power and when they come into power, they go there with wrotten heads.
@Kamaga must …
So you would rather continue with the mediocrity..that is the type of thinking that will get us nowhere…if this was under the Galu Administration no one would have been suspended, it would have been business as usual. The Galu Administration was only good for suspending opponents like the late Keegan Mumba, Simata for alleged insubordination.
This confirms that cheating does not pay. FAZ has done the right thing to institute investigations
At least now the FA is being run like it should be; transparent and accountable…not like it was run in the past from one Galu’s mobile phone.
@Mwiponta Mukabwela Ceelee man! How many times would Galu have “resigned” going with his misdeeds, scandals, ama delu, private borrowing, wifey ventures!
FAZ should should shoulder the blame. Why did they allow MRI scans to be done at the private Hospital (Fairview Hospital). Most employers do not accept medical reports from private Hospital or clinic.The reason is straight forward. They should have done MRI scans from Government Hospital. We have MRI scan at Cancer disease Hospital. They decided to do the scans from the private Hospital because they wanted to fake the reports, full stop. They are in a hurry to produce results using underhand methods.
The scanners at government hospitals are not working
@Kant only UTH has an MRI and it is currently out of order. Maina Soko only has a CT Scanner and therefore, people are going to either Fairview or Nkanza Laboratories.
Be careful imwe ba Mop!
Under this failed P.F, regime, are you sure the M.R.I scanners even work, if there’s even one available??
Lets be realistic, Zambia under Lungu’s P.F, is a failed state, where load shedding is seen as normal, so please don’t go on about M.R.I, scans @ failed government medical institutions, when Chagwa’s akalasia,- a simple procedure, could not be done @ U.T.H, & he had to run to South Africa, to get treated.
Good work FAZ..keep up the honest work and get rid of all Galu’s crooks!!
Good work when you send a fraudulent team to a tournament? And want to pass the buck to an admin not in office? How is that different from african governments that keep blaming the colonialists?
Who should be suspended???? I thought the entire FAZ Executive is the biggest culprit in this one. What if the scan results they did where as indicated earlier that the 2 where within the U17? Are we going to sue Fairview Hospital?
How is the FA Executive to blame? Do you know the role of the Executive Administration?
This is simply INCOMPETENCY at its worse by FAZ. We know what to do with incompetent chaps like FAZ has.
Je Je y’ crazy! Kalu hater and HH supporter! This problem falls entirely on FAZ and not Kalu!
For Jay Kay hating Kalu makes the world go round. He cant eat or shiit without thinking about KALU. He must be a really miserable rascal this Jay j. Even Kamanga is clearly beaten by JJ in hating KALU. He is a KALU hater who would die of rage were he to see KALU smiling in real life. JJ put your finger between your buttocks bring it to your mouth and lick it perhaps you will taste what your eternal anti KALU ravings reek of
No FAZ, don’t use the bench as a scapegoat……screening the age of the players should be an administrative process of FAZ and not the bench. The job of the bench is to drill players for the tournament. You just appointed this bench a few weeks ago after firing Kalusha’s brother. SHAME!!!!!!
This is chipante pante management from FAZ!!!
“He said FAZ was seeking clarification about the processes and methodology used in the MRI testing following the outcome of the second test in Mauritius.”
That’s reason why they have suspended the committee member Kabaso Kapambwe to pave way for investigation…why dont you read the whole article?
@jay jay, you don’t think, you just argumentative without thinking
The administration of Kalu never faced this kind of embarrassment. The bench suspended was was picked by kamanga and his colleagues. Besides, this has nothing to do with the coaching stuff but the FAZ kamanga led admistratration are to blame. There are in charge and there are responsible for all the logistics involved in the preparation of the team before departure.
I guess Nike terminating the sponsorship deal due to fake jerseys supplied by Galu, ticket racketing scandals does not count as embarrassment to some!!
Resign or be forced to resign
Jay Jay—Your alleged Successful business man Kamanga is head of FAZ and is answerable for any wrong doings by any department under his control. Are you telling us that he does not know what is going on with the national teams? Please don’t let your personal issues crowd your judgement on this issue. The chaps caught were well over twenty years and you still think your new FAZ leadership is doing a great job. This is an embarrassment to the nation. You are comparing gossips on GREAT KALU to this scandal?? I wish you could talk to Kamanga, he is under extreme pressure and does not even know how to move forward. I HAVE FIRST HAD INFORMATION THAT HE IS SEEKING AUDIENCE WITH GREAT KALU FOR GUIDANCE.
Just keeps getting worse; first the team fails to qualify for AFCON and now the whole U17 team is disqualified? What’s next, being humiliated during World Cup qualifiers? The Renard & Kalu detractors are looking foolish by the day.
It is global,even Cameroon players suffered the same fate.
Its easier to talk than do to do the jobs. A bystander can offer a million suggestions but when in the trench, you fail to come out!! This is the truth of the matter. Where were the Administrators when they were making arrangements to scan the lads? Where was Ponga when all the logistics were being made? Where was the president when the results from Fairview were presented to FAZ indicating that the boys have been cleared of any cheating? Where was the coach when the Medical Doctor brought the results of MRI scan? Where was FAZ team Doctor to give advice to the manager? Who took the team to Fairview Hospital? What did he present to the technical director? Who received the report from the hospital? What did he see on the results? Who makes sure that all teams age group are in older and…
You guys need to wake up. You even failed to interview a coach who came from a distant place on a scheduled date! People, key people where not there to interview him. Where on earth do you make an appointment and you are not there. If you can behave like this before you get the man, what will happen when month end comes? This is where seriousness is seen. Because we want money so much, we couldn’t keep appointment but seminar. Some of you guys blamed the previous administration for some of these failures. What do we say on you now?
Bwana Kamanga you have put your wrong foot on the goround. FAZ has to blame for poor management. It means you did not know what was happening. You talked and campaigned too much. It is time to walk the talk, fire fighting cannot do. You have caused the nation a lot of embarrassment.