Zimbabwe Expelled From 2018 FIFA World Cup

By Philip Otuo,

 The FIFA Disciplinary Committee today, 12 March 2015, notified the Zimbabwe Football Association (ZIFA) that it was expelled from the preliminary competition of the 2018 FIFA World Cup Russia.
The expulsion comes as a result of the non-payment of an outstanding debt by ZIFA to the coach José Claudinei Georgini following a decision passed on 15 August 2012 by the single judge of FIFA’s Players’ Status Committee.

 As the single judge’s decision was final and binding and ZIFA did not settle its debt, disciplinary proceedings for failure to respect a decision (in application of art. 64 of the FIFA Disciplinary Code) were opened against ZIFA upon the request of the coach.

 The FIFA Disciplinary Committee passed a first decision in April 2013, by means of which in particular, and in addition to receiving a fine, ZIFA was granted a 60-day period to settle half of its debt to the coach and a 120-day period to settle the remainder of the debt. ZIFA was warned that, if they did not pay within the granted periods, the case would – upon the express written request of the creditor – be resubmitted to the FIFA Disciplinary Committee for the possible imposition of harsher sanctions, which could lead to expulsion from a FIFA competition. ZIFA did not appeal the decision.

In view of the fact that ZIFA did not settle its debt to the coach, and following the request of the coach, the case was presented again before the FIFA Disciplinary Committee, which rendered a second decision. In its decision, the FIFA Disciplinary Committee granted ZIFA a final period of grace of 60 days to settle the debt with Mr Georgini. Additionally, ZIFA was warned that, if the debt was not settled within the granted period (and upon the presentation of a formal claim by the creditor), then, in addition to the imposition of a fine, they would be expelled from the preliminary competition of the 2018 FIFA World Cup Russia™. ZIFA was informed that the expulsion would be ordered automatically without any further decision needed from the FIFA Disciplinary Committee and, once more, ZIFA did not appeal the decision.

 Given ZIFA’s failure to make any payment within the granted periods and the request presented by the creditor, the FIFA Disciplinary Committee – in line with its second decision – ordered the expulsion of ZIFA from the preliminary competition of the 2018 FIFA World Cup Russia