FIFA: Put Konkola in order
World soccer governing body, FIFA has strongly warned the Football Association of Zambia (FAZ) to address urgent upgrade matters relating to Konkola Stadium so as to enhance overall match management delivery and security ahead of the June 20 FIFA World Cup qualifier match Zambia vs. Algeria.
Failure to address concerns raised by FIFA over the next eight (8) days might result in the Football Association of Zambia hosting the remaining Chipolopolo 2010 FIFA World Cup and Nations Cup qualifiers in a foreign country.
Following lapses observed by FIFA Security Officer Frank Valdermaca during last Saturday’s match Zambia vs. Rwanda, FIFA reckons that the fixture Zambia vs. Algeria may become the top match in the group and is therefore considered “really high risk”.
FIFA has since demanded that matters raised following last Saturday’s game be addressed before 16 June 2009; adding that as a precaution the world football governing authority will appoint additional staff to service the June 20 qualifier. The additional official will be the Match Observer and will compliment the work of the Match Commissioner, Security Officer, Referees Assessors and the four match officials.
Among urgent measures required to be undertaken for the June 20 qualifier to go ahead include opening more entry points to the stadium, identifying seating bays for spectators in the open wing as well as daily maintenance of Konkola Stadium pitch to June 20. FIFA does not want any matches played at the stadium before June 20.
The Football Association of Zambia has set into motion a programme to comply with FIFA’s requirements and will also take drastic measures aimed at improving crowd control. In this regard, only 25 vehicles will be allowed to park inside and outside the stadium. This 25 will include the Presidential motorcade.
A security cordon will be set up at least 300 t0 400 metres away from the stadium and only people with tickets will be allowed passage to the designated entry points of the stadium.
Police will also be detailed to deal with those who will be found selling tickets away from the designated areas in order to allow for the control and safety of those who will have bought tickets.
The Association will further work with stadium management to relocate ticket holders to additional designated open wing entry points.
These measures are being taken in order to ensure that the stadium is not closed in view of serious lapses reported to FIFA.
FAZ further wishes to remind the public that the reason why tickets for last weekend’s game were pegged at K200,000.00, K150,000.00 and K50,000.00 for respective seating sections was not for profit but a measure aimed at ensuring that issues of security and crowd control were dealt with. Unfortunately, these measures were misunderstood and the result of that misunderstanding gave rise to the number of people present at the stadium. FAZ will therefore consider revising ticket prices for the match Zambia vs. Algeria. In this regard, the open wing tickets will now be sold at K40, 000.00
As we countdown to the June 20 match, the FAZ wishes to advise and appeal to fans to ensure that they purchase their tickets once they go on sale and get to the stadium as the stadium gates, which will open at 08:00hours will be closed at 13:30hours.
Police will be detailed to send away anyone found loitering outside the stadium area. This is so because FIFA has further stated that without these measures being put in place the match officials will be requested not to commence the match until order is restored. If disorder continues the match will be called off.
These strict measures follow the incidents of last Saturday, the tragedy in Abidjan in March 2009 and Konkola deaths of 2007.
The statement by the General Secretary FAZ George Kasengele was issued yesterday but arouud midday in the business district of Lusaka, FAZ Vice spokesperson Macha Chilemena appeared to have a diferent view regarding the maintenance of Konkola which FIFA has said should not host any more games until after the Desert Foxes clash:
‘That ground belongs to a Premier League club Konkola Blades and there is no way we can close it even to refurbish the pitch.”
An emotionally charged Chilemena who was mobbed by fans said FAZ had no option in the use of the stadium.
And Chilemena maintained that FAZ would not recall Germany based Andrew Sinkala as long as Coach Herve Renard did not ask for him:
Nike’s version of Zambian Copper jersey.
”The coach has not seen Sinkala play. Andrew will not be recalled if Herve Renard does not indicate that he wants him. That chapter is closed.”
Chilemena further accosted an unidentified smartly dressed gentleman on the scene who wanted to find out why the Chipolopolo Boys have not had a distinct home jersey or the Copper and black FAZ had promised:
” You I spoke to you over three hours last time over the subject of the jersey. Dont ask me again. We are dressed by Nike and the jerseys you see are what they give us.” Chilemena retorted.
When the man pleaded with Chilemena, he responded: ”May be against Egypt, you may see that (Copper and black), May be.”
The Zamfoot crew who had been called to the scene near Nandos in Cairo road tried to interview the mystery gentlemen to find out what he had said to the FAZ vice spokesperson earlier for him to get visibly upset. But he declined and opted to remain anonymous.
Early this year, Chilemena apologised to the Natioal Sports Council of Zambia after he had accosted one of their officials in a named bank in Lusaka over the Mayuka saga.
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Ya well and good but we have a game in 10 days time. what do we do about FIFA’s concerns in this time? we would not have won qualification to even the AFCON in 10 days so what in your opinion is a solution? remember that we are talkin about 10 days, your solution for this ten days??
people like you surprise me always quick to punch down a solution and yet never offer any solution yourself. If worst comes to the worst South Africa is the place to play our games and dont get me wrong just cause I live in S/Africa but like one blogger has already mentioned our best players play their soccer on some of the best turfs in the world. The bad pitch situation is bad even for our own players. Sorry to say but our govt works like days have 48 hours and faz is broke so to just say fix the turf is not a solution. Come up with something concrete before you shoot down other slutions.
Its not about the players familiarity with the pitch its about FIFAs concerns not the players. What do we d about FIFAs concerns regarding Konkola??
Just ban Zambia from playing home games at home until they build the stadium. That will make the govt. and faz serious about this stadium issue. Its too much
Ay Civil Engineers on this blog, they can uderstand this issue better. some of us here are making an issue out of our ignorance. you need site offices and housing before you start the works. Gents, the chinese are quite fast in terms of construction, you’ll see when they start working on the three stadia. you need first to do the ground work before you start. like for independence and maramba, revised designs need to be made and agreed upon before the works commence. these things are necesary before you can commence any project. any Civil Engineer, Architect, QS and the like will say amen to this
I was in grade seven when the government razed down dag stadium to pave way for what they called an ultra-morden stadium.My daughter is now in grade seven and we are still talking about a morden stadium!
Now does it mean its only in Zambia where it takes forever to the preparations you have mentioned? Takwaba. For how long can we wait. It is this Zambian culture of procrastinations that has made it to be the way it is. Somebody help.
Hi,
It is better to play in foreign contry South Africa for example, better for both of us ( Algeria and Zambia)
I’am sorry : but your stadium it is like potatoe’s field ,not practical at all!
And I don’t think you have a time to fix it!! even money to finance the work! which is an issue in your contry!
Any way best of luck with FIFA!
See you in JOHANSBOURG !!!
@big steve read thru my comment i have offered the solution. Playing our matches away wherever wud be the most disgraceful thing to our sovereignity! …and someone was giving an example of andora playing in spain, since when did we draw our inspiration from such?…… mamadou on supersport soccer africa? has that guy ever said anything positive about zambia. Who cares about wat he rants. Lets not b petty blame the pitch and wat not, our team jst cud not contend wit the pressure of playn at home. Noah mbesuma katongos singuluma were just below par. Someone tel me how jacob or mbola played wel on the same pitch? lets not b disillusioned by these pitch conspiracy theorems actually propagated by the algerians.
I think if we set our priorities right, the chnese should have gone for Independence Stadium first. After all it is only the grand stand that needs to be built and so it wouldn’t take as much time as erecting a complete stadium (in Ndola). That way we would not have all these warnings from FIFA.
The way I feel right now is that FIFA should give altimatum with minimum requirements for a “normal” stadium to use on June 20. Perhaps that could be more of wake up call for Chipungu (who apparently has stayed mute over the state of the stadia in our country).
I agree with you on the procrastination issue. I was in west africa a few weeks go, bwana, the stadia there are world class and there are still building new ones. even varsities have better stadia than independence staduim. LOL. Our leaders are somewhat to blame.
But, for the Ndola Stadium, the works will be starting soon and we’ll all appreciate at the pace the contractor will be moving.
Independence is more of a complicated issue. In construction, rehabs are more complex than new constructions. this is so because new designs have to match the old design. Let us just continue pushing RB and his collegues to fix the funing issues for the two issues.
Ama excuses ya chilamo as always. Just send us to SA and we’ll be fine. If you think Konkola gorund is worthy of international footbal you’re joking. I’m sure FIFA would have shut it down if it were in another country, but we are so used to accepting mediocrity we can’t even see the tatters of this stadium. Shame.
Ninkwata solution, let’s pretend ati stadia building is NCC and you will see how money will flow in. Can you imagine even people undergoing corruption(Oops THEFT cases and found with a case to answer) are still attending NCC sittings and deciding the destiny for our country(constitution). Awe kwena twalichula. Tanzania raised TZs120m (Kwacha480m equivalent) from gate takings at their friendly with New Zealand played under floodlights last Wednesday-60,000 capacity stadium.
before you think to go to world cup, you must have a stadium to play a real football.
Konkola Stadium ?????????????????
Algerian, just because we are friendly here doesn’t mean you should get too comfortable. We can see for ourselves that our stadium is below par, we will deal with it, we don’t need too many external observations. Just for that comment, Singuluma will score two goals against you guys.
Uncle Bobs :Ninkwata solution, let’s pretend ati stadia building is NCC and you will see how money will flow in. Can you imagine even people undergoing corruption(Oops THEFT cases and found with a case to answer) are still attending NCC sittings and deciding the destiny for our country(constitution). Awe kwena twalichula. Tanzania raised TZs120m (Kwacha480m equivalent) from gate takings at their friendly with New Zealand played under floodlights last Wednesday-60,000 capacity stadium.
@Uncle Bobs
Uncle Bobs, and these are nations with similar economies to ours. Worse still, when we failed to host the All-Africa games, surprise! surprise! MOZAMBIQUE took over. Here there has been no war. But we have big time criminals!
Well said Steven, we do not need these chaps from Algeria to patronize us. They have insulted us enough. We have to beat them here! At all costs. We can quarell as a family but it is not forv them to take advantage.
On June 20 Algerians will cry with their cry baby coach!
The Algerian media is already making excuses for the loss to a game they have not played. Whats up with that Algeria. Blaming the stadium? Come on we all know that your boys have played on the desert sands before, stop crying about it.
How damn! the algerians come up with propaganda we soak up in it, even divert from technical issues that really affect our team. We been playing in that stadium since 2005 and we knew prior that we wil b playn our qualifiers frm there . Who complained? is it not the algerian who smarted up wit the idea of insulting us and now we busy feasting their malice. Wana build a stadium in 10 days go ahead. Tell me wat makes u different from the insesitive govt. We r just as myopic coz we would have talked ths a couple of years back in view of the matches now. Now 30pin by 15pin open wing is 450mils continue being envious of tanzania