By GWEN CHIPASULA –
SPORTS associations summoned to appear before the Sports Council of Zambia (SCZ) Disciplinary Committee this weekend in Kabwe have expressed shock at the charges laid against them.
The Handball Association of Zambia (HAZ), Zambia Volleyball Association (ZAVA), Zambia Hockey Federation (ZHA) and the Zambia Bowling Association (ZBA) have all been summoned to appear before the SCZ disciplinary committee to explain different cases.
Already summoned is the troubled Zambia Boxing Federation (ZBF) which is expected to appear before the Michael Chiti led disciplinary committee on Saturday.
HAZ have been called in relation with a case that arose within the executive but president Victor Banda said in an interview that he was not aware of any of its members having a case.
Banda said the SCZ should learn to differentiate individual matters with association issues.
“I really don’t know this case as president, I was even shocked when I received the email because it didn’t explain much for me to understand,” he said.
Banda said such acts were bringing the name of the association into disrepute, adding that HAZ was certain that everything was okay.
“I think it is best that the secretariat looks at the case before defaming the association because people will be thinking otherwise of us, but we shall appear and get full details, “ he said.
ZAVA has also denied having done any wrong to warrant a call-up by the mother body with secretary general Charles Haambote saying that issue in question was sorted out in 2014 by then Sports Minister Chishimba Kambwiili.
The SCZ wants ZAVA to explain how far the association has gone in repaying the debt incurred during the hosting of the Zone Six Championships in 2014.
Haambote, however, said in a separate interview that ZAVA was shocked with the development because the issue was even closed.
“SCZ are wrong, they need to recheck their records because our issue was sorted and closed and I don’t understand why it has to be reopened. But we shall sit down with our executive to see the way forward,” he said.
ZBA general secretary Foster Banda said her association was not clear whether debts were part of disciplinary matters.
SCZ gave ZBA K130,000 towards hosting of the Africa Bowls Championship in September last year but incurred a K70,000 debt which the association wanted the national sports mother body to pay.
Banda said ZBA has requested the SCZ to clearly state what case the association would be appearing for, adding that they did not see any problem asking the mother body to help in paying some debt.