By SANDRA MWILA –
THE delay by the Football Association of Zambia (FAZ) to start the sale of Mafro replica jerseys for the Chipolopolo has led to the emergance of counterfeit shirts that have flooded the market.
FAZ have lodged a complaint to the Zambia police over the illegal sale of replica jerseys.
FAZ in May this year clinched a two-year deal with Asian kit supplier, Mafro, worth $200,000.
The kit was unveiled at a ceremony at the Levy Mwanawasa Stadium where FAZ warned that anyone found reproducing the kit would face the wrath of the law.
FAZ had indicated that the sale of replicas would be done at Football House and that it would identify agents to work with on the sale of jerseys.
But four months down the line, there has been no sign of replicas at football house or any of the regular shops.
A survey in Lusaka by Times found the sale of counterfeit jerseys being sold on Cairo Road, town centre and Comesa.
The jerseys are being sold at K150 which is the standard price in most stands while other Chipolopolo jerseys are selling at K120.
FAZ had announced that once the jerseys were in they would be sold at K200 to make them affordable.
Most of the sellers of the counterfeit jerseys get them from Comesa Market where they are being sold in bulk.
A check in Kitwe, found the replicas at Kitwe Centre fetching as high as K450 and are being bought from Tunduma and Kasumba Lesa in the Democratic Republic of Congo.
In Ndola, they are going for K120 ahead of the CHAN qualifier in the central business district and around the Post office as venders want to cash in from fans.
FAZ communication manager Desmond Katongo said in an interview that the sale of jerseys was illegal and the association have lodged in a complaint to the police.
“It is a crime for anyone to reproduce the jersey and we lodged a complaint with Zambia police, we will clump down on anyone that is doing so,” Katongo said.
He said the replicas were not yet in the country due to logistical issues that the association was working on.
“We want, when the jerseys come, everyone (supporters) is catered for,” Katongo said.