Zimbabwean soccer officials on Monday appealed to eight club players who went missing after a tour in Britain to return home, saying their careers could end if they fail to comply.
”We want these boys back as soon as possible. The sooner they come back, the sooner we can find out what their position is,” said Rafik Khan, president of the Zimbabwe Football Association.
Zimbabwean football went into crisis over the weekend after six players from Harare-based Caps United and two players from Highlanders in Bulawayo failed to catch a flight from London back to Zimbabwe after an exhibition tour.
Football insiders say the men may have stayed behind in Britain to flee economic and political hardships in their home country, hit by hyper-inflation and chronic shortages of food and fuel.
”Maybe they have family there, maybe they wanted to stay for a bit longer … But they should have asked permission anyway. All of them have six-month visas,” Khan said, adding that the association has written to world body Fifa on the matter.
Although Zimbabwe is not planning to take steps against the men until their side has been heard, Khan said he is nonetheless ”miffed that they did this to us”.
”If they stay in the United Kingdom, it will be the end of their playing careers,” he said.
”They have to get sanction from us even to play at the amateur level,” said Khan, admitting that the loss of players might influence Zimbabwe’s preparations for the African Cup of Nations next year.
The state-owned Herald earlier named the missing Caps United players as vice-captain Artwell Mabhiza, Silent Katumba, David Sengu, Raymond Undi, Elton Chimedza and Tichaona Nyenda.
Two Highlander players, reserve goalkeeper Luckson Mutanga and defender Dalisizwe Dhlamini, have also disappeared.
Two Caps United officials, general manager Joe Makuvire and Valentine Gwaze, have returned to Zimbabwe, Caps United boss Twine Phiri said.
A soccer player who did not want to be named earlier said ”some players went to Britain and then start to think what exactly it is that they are going back to in Zimbabwe”.
Zimbabwe has in recent years seen at least four leading soccer players leave the crisis-hit country for Britain. — Sapa-AFP