SOCCER administrator Ricky Mamfunda says there is need for FIFA to clarify on who should be categorised as an aggrieved party ahead of a meeting later this year.

FIFA had proposed to host a meeting on September 1, 2020 with the Ministry of Sports, Football Association of Zambia, National Sports Council of Zambia and the aggrieved parties to the electoral process.

In an interview, Mamfunda said the names popping up that wanted to be part of the much-anticipated FIFA meeting had nothing to do with the electoral process.

He told Goal Diggers that there were several individuals who didn’t file for any position but intended to be part of the meeting to resolve electoral issues with FIFA, adding that guidance should be given on the matter.

“One thing that I have noticed that I think a lot of stakeholders may not be aware of is when we use the terminology like aggrieved because some of the names that are popping up now wanting to be part of the FIFA meeting had nothing to do with the electoral disputes. Because some of my honourable colleagues that have issues with FAZ do not necessarily have disputes with FAZ pertaining to elections because they did not file in for any position at all. So even when you talk of aggrieved parties, I think it’s imperative and it’s very important to clarify who are we talking about here. Then on the people that had electoral disputes with FAZ, there are those that had taken their matters to natural courts, then there are some of us that opted to seek the intervention of the National Sports Council of Zambia,” Mamfunda said.

“So, I think it’s important to distinguish first and foremost the meeting that FIFA has called, is it to discuss challenges generally in football or to discuss issues where those people that had filed for positions at FAZ and their nominations were not valid? Because look, before the nominations, people had issues with FAZ, there are former officials that were banned, suspended and expelled so those had nothing to do with the electoral process.”
He said he was not among the aggrieved individuals being represented by lawyers.

“And for the record, I am not being represented by any legal counsels because my issues are straightforward. So, in any meeting that will be called by FAZ or FIFA, I won’t be represented by any legal counsel. The same way I have been sitting in the stakeholders meeting with the Sports Council of Zambia is the same way I will represent myself everywhere else. I’m not under the umbrella of anybody,” Mamfunda said.

He said his issues with the association could easily be addressed by the local administration without the involvement of FIFA.

“I don’t think my issues with those of Mr Simwanza will have need for FIFA to get involved because ours, I think can be resolved administratively by football house. That is why I didn’t go to the courts of law and I also know that Mr Simwanza did not go to the courts of law because we were of the view that our issues did not warrant us to go to court,” said Mamfunda.

“I’m hoping and praying this thing comes to an end because football needs to go on and we administrators in whatever dealings, we should not be selfish. You cannot go to a negotiating table hoping to get 100 percent, go to the negotiating table with a spirit of give and take. So, my expectation is that everybody concerned, be it from FAZ or the so called aggrieved, should be able to sit and look at an angle of give and take.”