Israel Saria
Zanzibar Football Association (ZFA) said Isles` champions Miembeni FC offloaded their spokesman Maulid Hamad Maulid from last week`s Harare sporting entourage due to shortage of funds.
Miembeni were supposed to part with $517 to meet expenditures of the ZFA spokesman and return flight ticket.
ZFA secretary general Mzee Zam Ali said Maulid was proposed to accompany the Isles champions one month ahead of the sporting entourage.
In a surprise move, Miembeni approached ZFA to share cost of their official asking them to donate $200, a day before the team boarded Harare-bound flight.
Ali says it has been a highly controversial move by Miembeni to ask for the donation while they planned for the trip one month in advance.
“Despite the eleventh hour Miembeni request, ZFA successfully managed to secure the $200 but when Maulid was contacted to travel he refused,“ said Ali.
The controversy has exposed Miembeni to risk a possible fine or any other penalty deemed fit for the offense.
Ali said it is always a principle and important for a team travelling abroad to have a ZFA official who would be accountable in the event a team lodge an appeal or any other complaint.
Miembeni travelled to Harare last week with a contingent of 16 players and six officials to honour their CAF Champions league first leg tie against Monomotapa played on Sunday.
However, the team lost by two goals and set up an uphill task of overturning the results into 3-0 victory should they need to progress in the next round.
This is the second time for Miembeni to offload the ZFA official after turning down a similar request to include him during last year`s Champions League trip to South Africa.
Team manager Hashim Salum declined to comment on the controversy and instead he said all queries should be forwarded to Miembeni FC`s director.
- SOURCE: Guardian
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