Richard MichaelZimbabwe: Banned From Homeless World Cup
September 14th 2010 13:28
Zimbabwe has been suspended from taking part in the 10th edition of the Homeless World Cup in Brazil running from September 19-26 after a team of 10 players failed to return home after the Australia tournament.
The annual Homeless World Cup literally brings soccer to the streets. Its stars are not pampered prima donnas; all have experienced homelessness in the past two years, or are part of the drug or alcohol rehabilitation schemes.
Zimbabwe made their inaugural appearance at the Homeless World Cup in 2006, when the street football showcase was hosted by South Africa in Cape Town.
Team Zimbabwe sealed its fate when 10 players and the management team save for Petros Chatiza opted to stay behind in Australia "than face the hardships back home" in 2008.
The players were mostly drawn from Hartcliffe Extension - a holding camp for Operation Murambatsvina victims (Operation Clean-Out), which left thousands of people homeless in June 2005.
Chatiza, the co-ordinator of Team Zimbabwe told Standardsport that the country would not be part of the tournament in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, which will attract 64 nations. Fourteen of the nations are from Africa and include Cameroon, Ethiopia, Ghana, Ivory Coast, Kenya, Liberia, Malawi, Namibia, Nigeria, Rwanda, Sierra Leone, South Africa, Uganda and Zambia.
"Zimbabwe will not be part of the Homeless World Cup in Brazil following the debacle in which all the players except me (Petros Chatiza) decided to stay in Australia. We are likely to be readmitted in the France tournament next year," Chatiza said.
Chatiza said the disappearance of over 10 players was an "unfortunate incident".
"Its unfortunate that the whole team decided to remain in Australia. It was their own decision but I am not saying it's the right thing to do. The players could not resist the opportunities in Australia but we are saying that it should not happen again.
"We are working on a programme with the organisers of the Homeless World Cup so that we embark on income generating projects for the players on their return from the tournament. It should not be about going abroad to play in the tournament. The players should have a reason to come back home," Chatiza said.
The players that disappeared in Australia are Tawanda Karasa, Vincent Chawanda, Farai Mukwira, Simbarashe Saidi, Kingswell Lunga, Kudakwashe Matika, Samson Gondokondo, Solomon Shandiringa and Dragan Shuva. The players have not returned home up to this day.
The Homeless World Cup project is based in Hartcliffe Extension were victims of Operation Murambatsvina reside in wooden cabins. The operation was a large scale Zimbabwean government campaign to forcibly clear slum areas across the country.
The operation in June 2005, according to United Nations estimates, affected at least 2,4 million people. Zimbabweans refer to the operation as "tsunami", in reference to the devastation, which followed the tsunami caused by the 2004 Indian Ocean earthquake.
The United Nations estimates that it led to the displacement of 700 000 people and affected a further 2,4 million people countrywide. However, according to the government only 120 000 people were affected.
By participating at the Homeless World Cup the youths have fresh motivation for life and have a reason for living. Donor agencies meet the travel costs of the teams, while Nike provides trainers for the footballers.
The Homeless World Cup is open to males or females aged over 16 years, who have been homeless at some point or making their main living income as street paper vendors or asylum seekers.
Teams can be all male, all female or mixed. A maximum of four players per team on the court comprising the three outfield players and a goalkeeper take to the pitch.
The are also four substitute players "flying" or "rolling" substitutions apply.
The Homeless World Cup matches are two halves of seven minutes each plus one-minute interval in between each half.
The match starts when the referee throws the ball into the court. When a goal is scored, the team that has conceded the goal receives the ball and the goalkeeper is allowed to bring the ball back into play immediately after the referee's whistle. A goalkeeper must not score goals and is also not allowed to leave the penalty area.
The winning team receives three points. The losing team zero. If a match ends in a draw, it is decided by a sudden-death penalty shoot out until one team has a one goal lead after both teams have taken the same number of penalty kicks.
In matches decided by a penalty shoot out the winning team gets three points and the losing team gets one point.
Former Manchester United great Eric Cantona is the ambassador of the Homeless World Cup. Ukraine will defend their title in Brazil.
The annual Homeless World Cup literally brings soccer to the streets. Its stars are not pampered prima donnas; all have experienced homelessness in the past two years, or are part of the drug or alcohol rehabilitation schemes.
Zimbabwe made their inaugural appearance at the Homeless World Cup in 2006, when the street football showcase was hosted by South Africa in Cape Town.
Team Zimbabwe sealed its fate when 10 players and the management team save for Petros Chatiza opted to stay behind in Australia "than face the hardships back home" in 2008.
Chatiza, the co-ordinator of Team Zimbabwe told Standardsport that the country would not be part of the tournament in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, which will attract 64 nations. Fourteen of the nations are from Africa and include Cameroon, Ethiopia, Ghana, Ivory Coast, Kenya, Liberia, Malawi, Namibia, Nigeria, Rwanda, Sierra Leone, South Africa, Uganda and Zambia.
"Zimbabwe will not be part of the Homeless World Cup in Brazil following the debacle in which all the players except me (Petros Chatiza) decided to stay in Australia. We are likely to be readmitted in the France tournament next year," Chatiza said.
Chatiza said the disappearance of over 10 players was an "unfortunate incident".
"Its unfortunate that the whole team decided to remain in Australia. It was their own decision but I am not saying it's the right thing to do. The players could not resist the opportunities in Australia but we are saying that it should not happen again.
The players that disappeared in Australia are Tawanda Karasa, Vincent Chawanda, Farai Mukwira, Simbarashe Saidi, Kingswell Lunga, Kudakwashe Matika, Samson Gondokondo, Solomon Shandiringa and Dragan Shuva. The players have not returned home up to this day.
The Homeless World Cup project is based in Hartcliffe Extension were victims of Operation Murambatsvina reside in wooden cabins. The operation was a large scale Zimbabwean government campaign to forcibly clear slum areas across the country.
The operation in June 2005, according to United Nations estimates, affected at least 2,4 million people. Zimbabweans refer to the operation as "tsunami", in reference to the devastation, which followed the tsunami caused by the 2004 Indian Ocean earthquake.
The United Nations estimates that it led to the displacement of 700 000 people and affected a further 2,4 million people countrywide. However, according to the government only 120 000 people were affected.
By participating at the Homeless World Cup the youths have fresh motivation for life and have a reason for living. Donor agencies meet the travel costs of the teams, while Nike provides trainers for the footballers.
The Homeless World Cup is open to males or females aged over 16 years, who have been homeless at some point or making their main living income as street paper vendors or asylum seekers.
Teams can be all male, all female or mixed. A maximum of four players per team on the court comprising the three outfield players and a goalkeeper take to the pitch.
The are also four substitute players "flying" or "rolling" substitutions apply.
The Homeless World Cup matches are two halves of seven minutes each plus one-minute interval in between each half.
The match starts when the referee throws the ball into the court. When a goal is scored, the team that has conceded the goal receives the ball and the goalkeeper is allowed to bring the ball back into play immediately after the referee's whistle. A goalkeeper must not score goals and is also not allowed to leave the penalty area.
The winning team receives three points. The losing team zero. If a match ends in a draw, it is decided by a sudden-death penalty shoot out until one team has a one goal lead after both teams have taken the same number of penalty kicks.
In matches decided by a penalty shoot out the winning team gets three points and the losing team gets one point.
Former Manchester United great Eric Cantona is the ambassador of the Homeless World Cup. Ukraine will defend their title in Brazil.
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