THE Football Association of Zambia (FAZ) says it is monitoring with concern the outbreak of war between Sudan and recently independent South Sudan.
African champions Zambia will face Sudan on June 2 in a 2014 World Cup qualifier in Khartoum.
FAZ communications manager Erick Mwanza said in an interview in Lusaka yesterday that the association is keeping an eye on the happenings in Sudan and South Sudan.
Sudan has declared war on South Sudan following weeks of border fighting between the two countries over the Heglig oil field and nearby towns.
Several bombs have been dropped on the South Sudanese border of Bentiu.
The African Union has called on Sudan and South Sudan to abide by a plan that will see both parties pull forces out of a disputed border area.
Mwanza said both FAZ and the world soccer governing body FIFA are monitoring the war between Sudan and it neighbour.
“If the situation in May gets worse FIFA will not allow the match to be played in a war zone. This is a FIFA World Cup match and FIFA are closely monitoring the situation,” he said.
Mwanza said the Chipolopolo’s preparations will not be affected by the happenings in Sudan and South Sudan.
“We will not relent as we prepare for the match against Sudan,” he said.
The Chipolopolo are expected to camp in Johannesburg on May 20.
Ghana and Lesotho who meet in Accra on June 2 are the other teams in Group D.
And speaking later at a Press briefing, Mwanza said “FIFA has got its own internal monitoring system and as we speak they are fully aware of the situation in Sudan maybe without even us writting they will suggest that the game be shifted somewhere.
“Should FIFA delay then we will write to request that the game be moved from the national stadium in Khartoum which Sudan has registered to a different country,” Mwanza said.
Meanwhile, Mwanza has announced that a FIFA official is expected in Zambia this month to inspect the Levy Mwanawasa Stadium in Ndola ahead of the June 9 World Cup qualifier against Ghana.
He said the association is happy with the commitment government has attached to ensuring that the stadium is ready on time for the match.
And Mwanza has said that FAZ will now be commemorating the 1993 Gabon air disaster after five years starting next year.
“The Gabon air disaster victims laid the foundation for all the successes Zambia has started recording so we need to celebrate their lives and we need to organise the event properly,” he said.
Mwanza said the celebrations are likely to include Zambia inviting a foreign team for a friendly match and hosting a memorial concert.
He said in between five years, the association and families of the Gabon air disaster will be going to the cemetery to remember the heroes but without any activities.
“Even this year we will go to the cemetery but there will be no activities. We will only start next year,” he said.
[Daily Mail]
if its official there is a war there then why would you even be cinsidering the possibility of going there? Dont put our players in danger please!
If Mwanza is the EPITOME of a COMMUNICATIONS OFFICER, & has been rightly quoted, I can’t help it, but cry!!!!!!
I’ve been trying to make sense of the goobledegook of the last 3 paragraphs of his statement.
Is he honestly trying to make us believe that the bereaved families all these years have forgotten their beloved ones enough not to visit their graves??? He is probably giving us an insight into HOW FAZ HAS FORGOTTEN THE SAME PEOPLE he is trying to get us to remember !!!!
In fact the best way to remember our heroes WOULD BE TO QUALIFY FOR THE WORLD CUP rather that spending money on very NEBULOUS CELEBRATIONS, when what will mostly be at heart, WOULD BE TO SQUANDER FUNDS which could best be used for the preparations as well as supporting the LOWER LEAGUES!!!!!! Am sure the heroes up there would be made proud if soccer in Zambia had a good grassroots foundation, rather than seeing Mwanza sauntering out of a party having imbibed “Tujilijili!!!”
There is no war in Khatoum. The game is not in Juba
don’t even dare go to Sudan..they may kill our team due to jealousy..let them play the game in SA which would be so neutral..and hey..to our advantage ..Zambia would have alot of support!
This Eric would do well to say FAZ will no longer (and probably rightly so) attach the pomp and splender to the Gabon Disaster Memorial, instead of talking about this cheap five yearly idea. A serious and committed FA cannot fail to organize some function every twelve months to comemorate fallen heroez.
But Eric Mwanza has a pee brain, very shallow…these are peole who used to seat ku group 3 mu class na kunchito he is still a group 3. FAZ has no innovation, they are very dull chaps who have very little to offer.
Five year memorial is a joke. 24 months shows seriousness. Rather than a concert and drinking why not something more productive as follows:
Organizing provincial competition, which begin in districts. Each province producing a team. Those provincial teams come to compete during the memorial week. All teams could be divided like league format and face each other narrowing down to the Finals on the last day of the weekend. During this whole period clubs and foreign scouts could recruit talented players. this could boost recreation and improve standard of soccer in the whole country. Local businesses could sponsor teams. All the while the future National team is in the making, represented by All provinces. This I believe is how Godfree Chitalu and his friends would like to be memorialized.
The winning provincial team receives a special memorial trophy presented by one of the family members of the perished comrades at each given time. Two years would allow for more preparation since you also have the regular clubs and league games going on etc.
I tthink Sudanese tteams sshould bbe bbanned fromall ccompetitions aas ttheir ggovernment ccontinues iit’s eethnic ccleansing ppolicies aagainst tthe aAfrican ttribes iin dDarfur, nnubs mmountain, ssouth kkourdufan, aand tthe bBombying oof ssouth sSudanese ppeopltswarplanes every single day…. It’s time for Africa to impose sanction on Sudan in every way possible, aall aAfrican ggovernment sshould sstand wwith ssouth ssudan. Murder oomar eel bBashir mMus bbe aarrested.
Guys, did FIFA pay the championship money? It has become silent now.
There is no war in sudan FAZ you put your house in order and prepair as much as you can. we are here waiting for that game befor returning back home.go zambia go.
MAY BE WE WILL BE WINING CUPS BY SACRIFICING OUR TEAMS.
Prepare, Chipolopolo, prepare. But recognize Sudan may be banned if its regime persists in its war against South Sudan, and you may win by forfeit. Still — prepare, Chipolopolo, prepare!