HARARE - Former Zimbabwe football coach Sunday Chidzambwa and three other individuals slapped with life bans after being found guilty of match-fixing and illegal betting lodged their appeal with the Zifa Appeals Committee by paying the $6 000 appeals fee just before end of deadline on Friday.

Former Warriors captain Method Mwanjali and Bidvest Wits defender Thomas Sweswe also filed their appeals in a bid to rescue their careers, which have come under threat due to the Asiagate dark cloud.

Chidzambwa, Mwanjali and Sweswe are three of 15 individuals banned from all football activities by Zifa after being fingered as architects of the Asiagate match-fixing scandal.

The Herald, Sports Editor Robson Sharuko, who was also hit with a life ban, paid his fee alongside former CAPS United coach Taurai Mangwiro, who was suspended for two years.  

As of yesterday, Zifa could not confirm whether Shabanie Mine coach Luke Masomere, who was banned for two years, had paid his appeals fee.

Mashingaidze insisted the federation was not prepared to extend the deadline.

“Football must go on,” Mashingaidze told the Daily News yesterday.

World football governing body Fifa insists that local channels should be exhausted first before any appeal can be made to them.

The Appeals Committee, set up by Zifa last month, is the first step for players and officials to appeal against the various judgements handed to them by Zifa for their role in Asiagate.

“Surprisingly others are appealing through the newspapers and saying ‘we have appealed we have appealed’ but we know those who have appealed,” Mashingaidze added.

Fifty three players and four officials have been exonerated in the scandal, with some being pardoned unconditionally while others had their bans wholly suspended upon payment of fines ranging between $1000 and $3000.

Meanwhile, it could not be established if such individuals as former Zifa chief executive Henrietta Rushwaya, ex-PSL official Godfrey Japajapa and former Dynamos captain Guthrie Zhokinyi had accepted their fate by not lodging their appeals.

List of banned individuals

Life bans: Henrietta Rushwaya, Jonathan Musavengana , Sunday Chidzambwa, Method Mwanjali, Guthrie Zhokinyi, Thomas Sweswe, Edmore Sibanda , Danisa Phiri, Kudzai Shaba, Thompson Matenda, Godfrey Japajapa, Rodwell Dhlakama, Emmanuel Nyahuma , Robson Sharuko, Hope Chizuzu.

10-years bans: Taurai Mangwiro, Clayton Munemo, Bhekitemba Ndlovu, Zenzo Moyo.