FIFA bans Zimbabwean football official for sexually abusing female referees

LThe International Association of Football Associations (FIFA) has banned a Zimbabwean football official for sexually harassing referees.

On Thursday, FIFA judges banned a Zimbabwean male football official for five years. The concerned, Obert Zhoya, is banned after being found guilty of having “abused his position to sexually harass” 3 female referees.

And communicated FIFA says: “After finding him guilty of abuse of power and sexual harassment of three female Zimbabwe Football Association (ZIFA) referees, the Adjudicatory Chamber of the Independent Ethics Commission ruled against Mr. Obert Zhoya, former Secretary General of the ZIFA Referees Commission, a ban from all football-related activities for a period of five years. In addition, the adjudicatory chamber imposed a fine of CHF 20,000 on Mr. Zhoya.”

“After carefully analyzing the written statements of the victims as well as the evidence gathered during the investigation conducted by the investigative chamber, the trial chamber established that Mr. Zhoya violated art. 23 (Protection of physical and moral integrity), art. 25 (Abuse of power) and, by corollary, art. 13 (General Rules of Conduct) of the FIFA Code of Ethics. »

“The terms of the decision were notified on September 1, 2022 to Mr. Zhoya, the date on which the ban takes effect. The reasons for the decision will be provided within 60 days, in accordance with the FIFA Code of Ethics. In line with FIFA’s commitment to firmly combat all types of abuse in football, the Ethics Committee deals with each case on its own merits, in accordance with the Code of Ethics. FIFA also provides a specific and secure online system for confidentially reporting any problems in terms of prevention. »