. Simaata

By SANDRA MWILA –
VETRAN football administrator Simataa Simataa says the formation of a Players Association is a mere campaign gimmick by the Football Association of Zambia (FAZ) ahead of the 2016 elections.
Simataa questioned what methodology FAZ will use to ensure that the Players Association is functional when the idea was rejected by the council in 1994.
He said the player’s idea was long overdue but feared that it will be caught up with the FAZ politics hence failing to serve its purpose.
“The Players Association initiative was proposed by me in 1994 and we took it to FAZ but it was declined. So what methodology will FAZ use to ensure that the association serves its purpose?
For me it is just a political gimmick, the idea is long overdue and I am afraid it will just be caught up in the politics,” he said.
He said the Players Association was rejected 22 years ago because of fear that the association will become a union and it will be difficult to handle the players.
“I am wondering how they are planning to go about it, will they run it independently or it will be forced on the councillors because as far as I am concerned, it is not on the agenda for the ‘erroneous’ Annual General Meeting they have scheduled for October 10,” Simataa said.
He wondered how the Players Association will be functional when FAZ has failed to work with Zambia Football Association of Coaches (ZAFCA) and Referees Association of Zambia (RAZ).
“RAZ and ZAFCA have failed to be visible, what makes you think the Players Association will run independently under this administration,” he said.
He said that when the idea was proposed in 1994, its purpose was to serve as a voice of the players to avoid victimisation. Simataa said the reason behind the forming of the association was to develop players off and on the pitch and deal with issues of insurance, pension and welfare schemes.
FAZ said the need for footballers to have a voice at decision making level is long overdue.
Former South Africa’s Bay United and Chipolopolo player, Linos Chalwe together with other ex internationals have established an interim committee to spearhead the formation of the association.