HARARE – Zimbabwe has been fined US$200,000 and banned from the COSAFA tournament for a year for pulling out of hosting the 2019 tournament.
Zimbabwe made a late withdrawal from hosting the tournament in May after the government baulked at the US$2 million required to stage the event, with Sports Minister Kirsty Coventry describing it as a “bad deal”.
Now COSAFA have hit ZIFA with the fine which must be paid by August 15.
“Failure to effect payment shall result in the suspension of the Zimbabwe Football Association from participating in any and all COSAFA competitions until such time as payment of the fine has been met in full,” COSAFA said in a letter to ZIFA dated July 23.
Reacting to the decision, Coventry maintained her stance that hosting the tournament was too costly.
“Hosting COSAFA this year was a bad deal. ZIFA agreement required US$2 million from the government and they showed total gate takings from the tournament as US$45,000. You do the math. Where do all the other gate takings go?,” the minister said on Twitter.
Cash-strapped ZIFA are yet to respond to COSAFA.
