Warriors team manager Sharif Musa has issued a statement ahead of the Warriors preparations for the AFCON qualifier against Swaziland next weekend.
The statement reads:
As we begin our preparations for the 2017 Orange Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers between Zimbabwe and Swaziland which will be played over two legs during the Easter holiday. The Warriors head coach Kalisto Pasuwa, the team manager Sharif Mussa and members of his technical team are of the considered view that we all need to put our full attention to these important Group L games.
In this regard it is our humble request to members of the media and the nation at large that you help us to fully focus on the job at hand which will begin in Mbabane on Friday 25 March with the return leg being played at the National Sports Stadium in Harare on Monday 28 March 2016.
It is our plea to all members of the media, other valued stakeholders and football fans at large that despite these games between Warriors and Swaziland coming against the background of the ongoing match fixing allegations and subsequently the investigations by the Zimbabwe Football Association (ZIFA) and the Zimbabwe Republic Police (ZRP) of a plot to fix Zimbabwe’s games, the national team camp should be left to go ahead without undue distractions.
It is thus our considered view and plea as the team management that while investigations are in progress please allow for the due processes to take place by avoiding putting pressure on any of the players that have been called for camp to comment on the match fixing issue.
The matter is being handled at the highest level of the association that is by ZIFA president Dr Phillip Chiyangwa while the country’s law enforcement agents are also seized with it.
Thus we believe that unless and until the ZIFA authorities have issued directives or announced suspensions, every Zimbabwean player is eligible for selection to the team.
To date only assistant coach Nation Dube has been suspended from his Warriors duties by ZIFA and should the media on behalf of the public seek further clarification on the issue, would have to contact the association who are handling the matter.
Our players remain open to interviews pertaining to issues like form, views on the opponent and upcoming game and the campaign to qualify to Gabon 2017 without delving onto a matter that is subjudice.
Please bear with us in this tough period and help our Warriors to overcome this serious threat to integrity of our football by focusing on the field of events at practise sessions, before, during and after the match while making sure administrative issues are best left to the administrators to rightfully handle them.
Together as a nation we can conquer Swaziland and continue with our dream to be in Gabon for the Nations Cup finals next year. So please support our Warriors and let us all help create a winning environment for them that is not tainted by huge amounts of pressure on them that could make it difficult for them to even deal with genuine mistake.