The coach of the Zambia workforce making ready to make its debut on the Women’s World Cup has been accused of sexual misconduct and the case was referred to world physique FIFA final yr for investigation, in response to a report in The Guardian newspaper.
Bruce Mwape was accused of coercing gamers into having intercourse with him in the event that they wished to maintain their place on the workforce, in response to the report revealed by the British newspaper on Saturday.
Other Zambian coaches and officers had been additionally accused of sexual misconduct and investigated, together with the Under-17 ladies’ workforce coach, in response to the paper.
In line with protocol, FIFA mentioned on Sunday its unbiased ethics committee wouldn’t touch upon whether or not or not there was an investigation at the moment underway into any allegations.
Zambia’s soccer affiliation launched its personal investigation into allegations of sexual misconduct in its girls’s groups final yr however didn’t identify any officers, coaches or gamers concerned. The investigation was in the end referred to FIFA, in response to The Guardian.
The Zambian affiliation mentioned when it made the announcement in September that it was taking the allegations significantly and had contacted police.
Zambia soccer affiliation president Andrew Kamanga and a spokesman for the affiliation didn’t instantly reply to messages looking for touch upon Sunday.
The Guardian quoted an nameless supply as saying that the Zambian affiliation was “turning a blind eye” to the allegations due to the latest success of its girls’s workforce beneath Mwape.
Zambia certified for the Tokyo Olympics in 2021 and the World Cup in Australia and New Zealand, which begins this month. The males’s workforce has by no means made it to the World Cup.
The Zambian girls grabbed extra consideration on Friday with a stunning 3-2 win over two-time World Cup winner Germany in a warmup sport for this yr’s event. Zambia captain and star striker Barbra Banda scored twice, together with the profitable purpose within the twelfth minute of added time.
Banda has been on the heart of one other controversy for the Zambian soccer affiliation after she was withdrawn from final yr’s Women’s African Cup of Nations due to a bungled intercourse eligibility case.
The Zambia affiliation eliminated Banda from its squad for the event over intercourse eligibility guidelines regardless of Banda being cleared to play on the Olympics and on the World Cup. The Football Association of Zambia and the African soccer confederation blamed one another over the case.
Zambia is in Group C on the World Cup with Spain, Costa Rica and Japan and performs its first sport in opposition to the Japanese on July 22.
