Sport, Arts and Culture Minister Andrew Langa
Sikhumbuzo Moyo Bulawayo Bureau—
BLUNDERING Sports Minister Andrew Langa last night said he was unaware Zimbabwe had been kicked out of the 2018 World Cup by FIFA. The BBC broke the story at 12.50pm Zimbabwean time, but by then ZIFA had already been informed. Our Bulawayo Bureau called Minister Langa at 7 last night to get his reaction to the ban, which affects the qualifiers for the 2018 FIFA World Cup to be hosted by Russia.
“Ah, why [have we been banned]? I’m honestly not aware of that. Let me call my office staff and ZIFA, call me tomorrow please,” the minister said.
FIFA acted after Zimbabwe failed to settle a $60 000 debt owed to former coach, Jose Valin- hos.
Langa, ignoring public sentiment, has recently come to the defence of the beleaguered ZIFA boss, Cuthbert Dube, after the minister’s deputy Thabetha Kangengoni-Malinga threatened that the Government could step in and dissolve ZIFA.