Banned from football for the sixth time in his life, Simataa Simataa said yesterday he would be taking his case to the office of the Office of Public Protector.
Simataa said his ban from all football-related activities by the Football Association of Zambia (FAZ) for alleged unethical conduct against the association amounted to intimidation and harassment.
It is the sixth ban the outspoken Simataa has coped in his nearly 30 years of involvement in football administration, becoming Zambia’s most banned sports personality.
Joking that he was probably the most banned sports person in the world, Simataa said he would be taking the matter to the Office of the Public Protector. “I think this is something I must take to the Public Protector. I am going there on Monday,” he said.
Simataa questioned if members of the FAZ Ethics Committee understood the law for them to ban him before he could defend himself.
Simataa said in an interview when he attended the meeting that he did not go there to submit his defence but to present preliminary grounds for his argument.
“How can they make a ruling on preliminary grounds? I was clear that I was presenting six preliminary grounds not my defence and so how can they make a ruling before I defend myself. Have they ever heard of a trial within a trial? These are lawyers, don’t they know the law?” Simataa said.
Asked whether he would appeal the ban, Simataa asked to whom he could appeal, explaining he had not yet received the letter and only saw it on social media where he posted a picture of himself at Football House where he found that the letter was not ready.
“I have been banned before in the past. This will be my sixth ban. What did I do in the past? Who should I appeal to?” he said.
Among the submission Simataa presented to the committee was the argument that FAZ had no code of ethics in keeping with Article 60 (3) of the FIFA Code of Ethics and therefore invoking the article needed a resolution of the executive committee.
Simataa also submitted that the commissioners were conflicted because one of them was a his relative while the chairman, Cephas Katongo, was a close friend of FAZ president Andrew Kamanga’s.
But the committee responded that the submissions lacked merit and were misconceived because the FAZ Constitution, under Article 7, mandated bodies and officials of FAZ to observe statutes, regulations, directives, decisions and the Code of Ethics of FIFA.
Simataa you have been given ten days to appeal within FAZ, if you lose the 10 days then you are kaput, and good riddance for that matter, there has been too much of you for the wrong reasons, follow the FAZ rules because even the public protector will ask you if you exhausted all the stages within FAZ.
Where is this Office of the Public Protector is it also in Football House or on Cairo Rd or in Zurich?
These are the offshoots of intolerance and lawlessness from the Lungu and his minions. In Zambia, everything is about banning, suspending, expelling, etc just to stifle the opposing views.
Why is the useless FAZ executive so sacred of people with divergent views? It is obvious that FAZ under Kamanga is full of thieves (like Lungu’s administration). Today they are banning Simataa and only yesterday they were forcibly ejecting Kazala out of a meeting – how uncivilised? This was because Kazala exposed a scandal where Kamanga and his fellow thieves had paid themselves more than K1million before they had even paid the players. So selfish and hopeless is FAZ that it has proven to be a den of thieves and drain on national resources. We need to disband it and start all over again.
Simaata I had a lot differences with you at FAZ AGMs and disciplinary meetings but on this one I am with you. You provided evidence of how Kamangamafia unlawfully rewarded themselves.
I agree with you…..iam very disappointed with kamanga who wants to run FAZ as a 2nd best subsidiary to his company while getting paid by FAZ…
This is one football cadre Zambia does not need. Please can you pls die from football, I beg you or do you need medical examination.
Why so you can continue eating with impunity with both hands (and feet) uninterrupted…you need chaps like him to keep you straight its a shame we don’t have thousands in Zambia we have too many docile sheep and goats!!
Simataa is my man. He is a fighter. But the public protector in Zambia is a tooth less office. Umwina Simataa Look for other avenues. Elyo Kamanga knows nothing about success in soccer. He will just take Zambian football to the dogs. Let’s quickly remove him before things get worse.
This one also( aba nabena)!
WRONG ROUTE………TAKE YOUR CASE TO COURT OF ARBITRATION FOR SOCCER
Seriously do you think he would be welcome at that court? He needs your kind of advice my bro
That office is in Namwala.
I wish you all the best Simaata!
How come today you are greater enemies with Kamanga? were you not the one insulting great kalu that is a criminal? this is wat you wanted ,so don’t cry foul here. You and Kanga ,you don’t mean well for our football you are all bad elements. so just be strong and face the monister you created for yourself. No mercy!
What!!!! Banned for the sixth time…. Is it another case of a CLEARLY MISUNDERSTOOD GENIUS or there’s just something wrong with you also Bo Simata.
Fight on Simataa. It’s your right. These buggers think everyone cannot see what they are doing to the sport.
The Pongas with limited professional education know that they have no life without the crumbs they take from the sport.
simataa, everywhere he goes, conflict follows him. I think it’s time for self-examination. Introspection is a very healthy thing.