By SANDRA MWILA –
THE FOOTBALL Association of Zambia (FAZ) has settled for Asian kit supplier Mafro to dress the national teams.
Sources close to the deal revealed to the Times yesterday that FAZ had clinched a U$$200,000 deal with Mafro for two years.
The source said everything has been agreed and the kit supplier and the deal would be announced soon before the Under 20 team leave for a training camp in Spain ahead of the World Cup.
“FAZ are in the final stage of finalising their deal with Mafro and they also have to submit a sample to FIFA,” the source said.
Efforts to get a comment  from FAZ communications manager Desmond Katongo failed as he declined to comment on the matter.
And Mafro managing director Mahmoud Gomda, who declined to give details of the deal, could only say they are finalising a deal with FAZ.
“We are finalising the deal with FAZ and I am sure they will address media next week, I can’t divulge much information,” Gomada said.
FAZ had initially considered Mafro deal in May last year but held back following public criticism.
The deal was criticised as the public questioned and considered Mafro as unknown compared to the big boys like Nike that dressed the Chipolopolo for seven years.
According to information on the ground, Nike walked out on Zambia following dubious practices that surrounded the deal.
Nike pulled out from Chipolopolo and FAZ have been without a kit sponsor for close to two years.
FAZ had restored to buying kit off the shelf from Kappa which the Under 20 team donned during the Africa Cup of Nations.
Zambia would join 12 times league champions Nkana in been dressed by Mafro.