Veteran football administrator Ndumiso Gumede says he has decided to retire from football after an impressive 38 years of service.

Gumede is was expelled by ZIFA after writing to the world football governing body FIFA. ZIFA accused Gumede  of gross violations of the ZIFA constitution and undermining a constitutionally elected leadership.

According to ZIFA, Gumede wrote a letter to the world football governing body, FIFA, peddling falsehoods about a legitimate football leadership; seeking to dissolve a constitutionally elected Executive Committee.

However Gumede denied any wrong doing saying he did the right thing and had no regrets.

Gumede has had a long career as an administrator going back to 1975 when he joined the Highlander’s fundraising committee.

Gumede became the club chairman in 1978. He has held several other administrative positions locally and on the continent as well including being ZIFA vice president between 2010-2014 and ZIFA CEO.

He was at one point a member of the CAF Appeals Committee

“I am going to be taking a deserved rest. It has been a long journey he is quoted saying by Newsday. The suspension by Zifa is unfortunate. I wrote to Fifa on July 25 representing a group of disgruntled people including football administrators and businessmen complaining about a situation that was obtaining: the formation of Nafaz, the association running without committees and unfair dismissal of employees. I have no regrets for what I did because subsequent to that correspondence, Fifa sent someone to investigate the scenario. And if the Zifa electorate is going to endorse my suspension, it will not affect me. I have played my part he added.

Gumede admitted football had become such a part of him that he was sad to be leaving. Highlanders are currently in the hunt for a new CEO following Gumede’s retirement.