WITH the powers that be, FIFA has in the past made several national teams warm the benches at world cup tournaments after serving them with a ban from participating due to various reasons, a fate that almost recently befell Zambia.
However, President Hakainde Hichilema has urged FIFA through its president Gianni Infantino to utilise dialogue when matters of contention arises in national teams or leagues.
President Hichilema said it is inevitable for football teams to differ on different issues based on varied ideologies and perspectives hence the need for the football governing body to prioritise dialogue in sorting out issues.
He also advised FIFA against passing hasty ban judgments on teams that are facing internal issues, describing such a move as “scary”, urging FIFA to advocate for a diplomatic engagement.
“It is important to understand that differences will arise all the time either in a team or league or countries and it is inevitable,” President Hichilema said.
“But I believe that football must take a lead in dialogue when these challenges arise and avoid litigations. I encourage you to dialogue whenever they face issues and do not come down with the hammers quickly when issues arise because that is scary.”
And Infantino expressed his association’s aim of encouraging world wide inclusivity on world stage tournaments as a means of promoting global unity.
The FIFA president said over half a billion has been spent in the recent years on mobilising and increasing the number african countries to participate in the world cup tournaments.
“We have been doubling the number of African teams in the women’s and men’s World Cup and this is because unity is one of the values we believe in.”
“Football unites the world and we need to bring the entire world to be part of football,” Infantino said.
By Elesani Phiri
Kalemba June 13, 2024
