HARARE – The Zimbabwe Football Association was battling to save face this week after the Confederation of African football condemned all but one of the country’s football grounds as unfit to host international matches.
Barbourfields Stadium in Bulawayo, CAF determined, is the only stadium close to meeting international standards – but only just.
CAF has warned that Zimbabwe could be forced to host international matches in neighbouring countries – a humiliation ZIFA is desperate to avert.
The finding means all national team matches, as well as club matches under CAF auspices will only be played in Bulawayo until authorities address deficiencies identified at the National Sports Stadium in Harare and Mandava Stadium in Zvishavane.
Rufaro Stadium in Harare is so badly neglected, particularly the pitch, that ZIFA did not bother to subject it to the CAF inspection conducted by South African CAF grounds inspector, Kabelo Bosilong.
ZIFA chief Felton Kamambo said they were relying on the government, which owns the National Sports Stadium, and Mimosa Mine which owns Mandava Stadium, to make the necessary improvements.
“We had invited CAF to come for inspections but, unfortunately, Mandava and the National Sports Stadium failed the test,” Kamambo said.
“We have engaged the government on the National Sports Stadium issue. We are not the owners of this facility. We only use the stadium as and when we have matches.
“So, the right thing was to approach the authorities. We are glad that we are moving towards the right direction and I am sure, in no time, we will be inviting CAF for another inspection again.
“We are also in the process of engaging those in charge of Mandava so that we can help each other, pointing the flaws at the venue.
“FC Platinum need to switch back from Barbourfields for their home games for convenience purposes.”
CAF has recommended that the Barbourfields floodlights must be fixed and the addition of “five individual seated toilets” in the dressing rooms, a massage table in each dressing room, a tactical board (white board/flip chart with pens) as well as good ventilation or air-conditioning.
CAF also wants a doping room which must be near the teams’ dressing rooms and must be “inaccessible to any person that is not involved with the doping control process”. It must be equipped with a television set, a refrigerator equipped with non-alcoholic drinks, sealed mineral water bottles, wastepaper bin for bottles, a ventilator and sufficient seating for at least eight people. The toilet area must be immediately next to the doping control room with direct private access.
Numbered bucket seats must be fixed to the floor at Barbourfields, and the Bulawayo City Council – the owners of the stadium – must issue a safety certificate detailing the maximum fans allowed inside the stadium.
A lack of floodlights at Mandava appears to be the stadium’s major drawback. It is reputed to have the best surface in the country.
The National Sports Stadium’s major undoing appears to be the pitch, which is damaged from hosting several non-football related events in recent months.
