Kalu’s FAZ Election Hopes Fade

Former President of the Football Association of Zambia (FAZ) Kalusha Bwalya will not be in the running for the upcoming FAZ elections after the Court of Arbitration for Sports (CAS) dismissed his case.

Bwalya was appealing the decision by the FAZ Ethics Committee to exclude him from contesting the Association’s elections scheduled for last month.

After CAS arbitrator Andre Branjes concluded that FAZ arrived at the decision properly and without prejudice, with Bwalya failing the integrity check he was reminded of his right to appeal the decision. However, CAS required a payment of K210,000 for the case to continue. The payment has not been made bringing to an end the 1998 footballer of the year’s ambitions in the forthcoming elections.

In 2019 Bwalya was served with a two-year ban by FIFA for accepting a gift in violation of the organization’s code of ethics. Following an appeal his ban was reduced to time already served and his fine reduced from $100,900 to $10,090.

The FAZ election process itself has been subject to delay following disagreements.

Last week FAZ and the Ministry of Youth, Sport and Child Development announced the resolution of disputed issues concerning the Association and its relationship with government, including with relation to the elections. FIFA has also been engaged on the matter, with the current FAZ executive remaining in place until fresh elections are organised. 

FAZ is currently mulling several options for resuming League matches in the coming weeks after play was suspended in response to the Covid-19 pandemic.

Among the possibilities being considered are the winding down of the League through playing matches behind closed doors, or allowing teams to play an equal number of games. 

A third option may be to have teams play the remaining games later in the year, with the 2020/2021 season pushed back until March 2021. 

The group’s general secretary Adrian Kashala has, however, reassured fans that FAZ does not intent to copy other associations by nullifying the league.

Speaking on Joy FM Kashala stated, “We want to have the league decided on the pitch. It is an investment for the clubs and stakeholders so you can’t just say we have cancelled the league.”