CAF has announced that Shepolopolo Zambia captain and striker Barbra Banda will not be part of the 2022 Women’s AFCON.
The Football Association of Zambia (FAZ) confirmed the development in a statement on July 1 that Shepolopolo’s 2022 Olympic Games star player is not on the 2022 WAFCON final official squad lists.
Friday’s news is a blow as Shepolopolo heads into their Group B opener against Cameroon on July 3 in Casablanca.
“FAZ wishes to provide a squad update for the Copper Queens that open their account on Sunday in a Group B match against the Indomitable Lionesses of Cameroon,” FAZ spokesperson Sydney Mungala said in a statement.
“Zambia will be without Ochumba Oseke and Xiomala Mapepa for the opening match due to suspension while skipper Barbra Banda will be unavailable for medical reasons.”
Mapepa and Oseke will miss the Cameroon clash due after coming into the WAFCON with accrued cards.
Meanwhile, Banda has been part of the Shepolopolo pre-WAFCON camp and is in Morocco together with the team.
The China-based striker was joint second on the Tokyo Olympics Women’s Football tournament scorer’s charts with 6 goals, four behind Vivianne Miedema of Holland.
Olympic debutants Shepolopolo made a group stage exit.
Banda later missed Shepolopolo’s entire 2022 WAFCON qualifying process due to COVID 19 travel restrictions form her base in China where she plays for Shanghai Shengli.
Goodbye to our WAFCON hopes.
It’s unfair life, however, Barbara never be sad. You keep fighting and you will find a sport that can accept you.
Can you explain properly why CAF has banned her
Very sad
Some medical reasons are unfair I mean is this when they’ve decided to examine her where have they been all this while,,the problem is that they’ve watched her groom her career then later shutter it into tiny pieces??
When did we ever choose how to be born and what you take out or not from your genetic origins. If our features don’t give us an advantage it is normal but the opposite becomes not normal…and only for Barbra. CAF my foot…
This is unfair for Zambia I I think some people are behind this ,so what is their plan to end her carrier ooh what?
I agree with my fellow mourners it’s out rageous and hypocritical really, I smell foul play and it stinks. Before we make such decisions let’s put our selves in ‘her’ shoes. We shall not remain silent till we are heard were is equality this is gender discrimination on a higher level.