OnSport Reporter
The Zimbabwe Football Association (ZIFA) has defended the decision to exclude Warriors vice-captain Marshall Munetsi from the final squad to do duty at the the upcoming Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON), citing medical, procedural and regulatory constraints.
In a detailed press release issued on Saturday, ZIFA said Munetsi was managing an injury at the time final squad submissions were due, a situation that placed his availability outside the automatic protections of the FIFA Club Protection Programme (2023–2026).
There was furore among fans over Munetsi’s exclusion given his status as one of Zimbabwe’s most experienced internationals and a key figure in recent AFCON qualification campaigns.
The player himself expressed regret over the decision to leave him out of the final squad.
Zifa said under FIFA and CAF regulations, players carrying pre-existing injuries can only be released for international duty if specific medical clearances and liability waivers are formally provided by their clubs.
ZIFA revealed that it maintained continuous and documented communication with Munetsi’s club, while the national team head coach was also in direct contact with the United Kingdom-based midfielder throughout the process.
Despite Munetsi expressing willingness to represent Zimbabwe, the required written consent and liability waiver from his club were not received before the CAF deadline for squad submission.
“In the absence of these clearances, ZIFA could not lawfully or ethically include the player,” the association said, noting that doing so would have exposed both the player and the club to uninsured risk .
ZIFA also used the statement to defend its Secretariat, including chief executive Kudzai Chitima, distancing administrators from team selection decisions and condemning abuse and threats directed at officials on social media.