Zimbabwe FA and Fifa accused of ‘silence’ over sexual harassment claims

The Zimbabwe Football Association (Zifa) and Fifa have been accused of “going silent” over allegations that female referees were sexually harassed by Zifa officials.

The allegations – made against Zifa’s referees committee secretary general, Obert Zhoya, and its chairman, Bryton Malandule – were first reported by local media in September 2020 before two of the alleged victims, both referees, officially registered their complaints with the Zifa board.

The allegations were also sent to Fifa, the global game’s governing body, the Confederation of African Football (Caf), and the Council of Southern Africa Football Associations (Cosafa). It was not until the alleged victims reported the claims to police, in December 2021, that a formal investigation was launched.

One of the alleged victims, who did not want to be named, told the Guardian that she had not officiated since making the complaints and felt “emotionally drained” by the whole experience.

“Zifa is a huge disappointment,” she said. “I’ve told myself I can never rely on them. I had high hopes that Fifa would intervene and fight to defend us female referees but they let me down as well. My question is why would Fifa go silent? I’m not saying they have to rush and make my case a first priority but at least show me that you’re keen to assist me.”

One alleged victim said she had been “humiliated, intimidated and degraded” by Zhoya, claiming she had received a series of WhatsApp messages from him asking for her to spend the night with him in a hotel.

“I would like to put on record that he had been making these unwelcome sexual advances since September 2019,” she wrote in a letter to Zifa. “The allegations I make herein are backed by evidence in the form of phone call voice