Monoz: A cunning fox?

BY GRACE CHIRUMANZU
Zimbabwean champions, Monomotapa, travelled to Malaysia for a friendly match against their hosts’ national team, last Sunday, to be beaten 4-0, as they prepare for their MTN Caf Champions League tie against Tunisia’s Etoile du Sahel, this weekend.
It has emerged Monoz duped Malaysia into believing they were playing a national team, Zimbabwe, as reports from Malaysia flashed headlines of a youthful side beating the Warriors of Zimbabwe.
It was a good challenge for Monoz who are preparing for a tough assignment in the African Safari. But a burden for the Malaysians who had previously refuted to host Liberia because they were not in a position to send their national side for the FIFA recognized international friendly.
Zifa have since been criticized for passing the league champions to travel as the national team, as much as the Malaysian soccer board will face criticism from their fans for not checking the truth about their opponents as they did with Liberia.
“Just because there was FIFA recognition does not mean both teams are obliged to field their 'best' teams,” said a football fan from Malaysia.
“Zimbabwe could easily use the excuse that they are trying out some new faces. As for Malaysia, they simply didn't exercise due diligence in checking on their opponent, hardly a FIFA-punishable offence -although admittedly hilariously stupid.”
Although some reports from Malaysia have recognized Monomotapa as the premiership champions representing Zimbabwe, the Malaysia football governing board made it clear that they were duped into believing Zimbabwe sent a national team.
FAM's Datuk Azzudin Ahmad said, “as far as we are concerned it is the Zimbabwe national team. The acceptance letter even bore the letterhead of their national association (ZIFA).”
Zifa CEO Henrietta Rushwaya told The Zimbabwean she was on leave at the time Monoz travelled to Malaysia. But Malaysia’s media organization, Mailsport, learnt that Rushwaya, in both a letter and an email to FAM, confirmed that Zimbabwe would be sending their national team.
The misrepresentation was said to have costed FAM a bomb, according to some reports in Malaysia. Flight tickets from Harare to Singapore for the team of 20 were estimated at about RM200, 000. The bus ride from Singapore to KL is about RM1,200, thus making it RM2,400 for a return journey. The team stayed at a hotel. The stimulus room package sees a double occupancy room costing RM280 per night. That translates to RM11,200 for 10 rooms over four nights. So, this would have cost FAM about RM215,000.
But FAM has denied having funded for Monomotapa’s expenses while ZIFA continue to claim that the Malaysian football board has taken care of Monoz. The trip has a lot of questions as it is yet to be established who funded the league champions’ tour.
Monoz were in a desperate situation in need of a challenging friendly match as they prepare for their continental encounter, on Sunday (July 19), had everything to benefit despite losing a humiliating 0-4 defeat, away from home.
It was a good experience for the reigning league champions. But it is yet to be established if Monoz who played in the national colors, connived with Zifa to trick Malaysia or they innocently represented the inactive national team with FAM’s knowledge.