Former FAZ committee member says he has not received any formal communication from the football house confirming his provisional ban from all soccer related activities.

In a statement, Simwanza who described the decision as a joke says he has not yet seen the ethics committee’s ruling used to arrive at the decision, more than 72 hours after the verdict was passed.

Four days ago, Simwanza was charged for allegedly circulating FAZ documents and subsequently banned for 90 days by the ethics committee after he was found to have contravened article 22(2) of the FIFA code of ethics.

“It’s now over 72 hours since I learned the FAZ Ethics Committee has imposed a provisional ban on me for 90 days for allegedly circulating FAZ documents in contravention of Article 22 (2) of the FIFA Code of Ethics. I’m yet to receive any formal charge or let alone ruling of the Ethics Committee meeting that arrived at this joke of a decision. The chairman of the FAZ Ethics Committee Mr. Kephas Katongo claims in a press statement that the document which tabulates huge pay-outs to the association president Mr. Andrew Kamanga and others as sitting allowances for hosting the Africa Cup Under-20 tournament in 2017 were allegedly illegally obtained. For the avoidance of any doubt, article 22 (2) of the FIFA Code of Conduct states, ‘persons bound by this Code are forbidden from making any public statements of a defamatory nature towards FIFA and/or towards any other person bound by this Code in the context of FIFA events,” read the statement.

He said he did not defame FAZ president when he published the documents as he was not bound by the ethics code of conduct.

“While I’m not bound by the FIFA Code of Conduct, there is nothing defamatory in publishing or discussing the outrageous allowances Mr. Kamanga paid himself at the expense of Zambian coaches and players who won the Africa Cup Under-20 tournament. The total amount paid to Mr. Kamanga and others is estimated at K1.4 million in sitting allowances for the under-20 and under-17 tournaments in 2017. The FAZ president pocketed K230, 000 for meetings held in a period of less than 60 days. This careless and imprudent management of resources by individuals managing an entity with a huge financial deficit and struggling to meet its obligation is a matter of public interest and cannot be justified through abuse of the FIFA Code of Conduct,” read the statement.

“Any attempt to clamp down on the scrutinizing of football management in the country is a useless and time-wasting exercise by Mr. Kamanga and his Ethics Committee. If there is anyone who should be sanctioned by the Ethics Committee, it is Mr. Kamanga and Mr. Katongo for perpetually contravening provisions of the FAZ constitution and the Legal Practitioners Act of the Laws of Zambia respectively. Going by Mr. Kamanga and Mr. Katongo’s misconduct, I am left with no option but to explore all other avenues available to correct this failed leadership that has left us prioritizing illegal and unnecessary bans instead of qualifying to the Africa Cup.”