The head trainer of Zambia’s ladies’s soccer workforce, because of compete on this month’s Women’s World Cup, has been investigated over allegations of sexual misconduct.
Bruce Mwape was once appointed in May 2018 and helped Zambia qualify for the World Cup for the primary time. The Football Association of Zambia (FAZ) stated in September 2022 that it had referred an investigation into allegations of sexual abuse within the ladies’s recreation to Fifa, soccer’s governing frame. Mwape and the under-17 trainer Kaluba Kangwa are understood to were a number of the FAZ staff who had been investigated.
“If he [Mwape] wants to sleep with someone, you have to say yes,” one participant who didn’t want to be named informed the Guardian. “It’s normal that the coach sleeps with the players in our team.”
One supply who is aware of the gamers stated they’d gained threats, no longer from Mwape himself. “They are being threatened with punitive action if they dare say anything about what happened,” the supply stated. “The federation is turning a blind eye because the women have had good results. It’s their way to show to the public and the authorities success and a good image. But behind the scenes, it’s very ugly.”
Mwape referred questions sent by the Guardian to the FAZ press office. A FAZ spokesperson, asked by the Guardian whether it had received any complaints about Mwape’s conduct, referred to their statement of September 2022 and would not add to their comments.
“Although we have no record of official complaints from anyone on the allegations, we consider these allegations very serious and have opened an inquiry into the matter,” said the FAZ’s general secretary, Adrian Kashala, in the statement. “We shall collaborate with the Zambia Police Service and other relevant stakeholders in dealing with this matter.”
According to the FAZ’s president, Andrew Kamanga, the investigation was referred to the police and Fifa to ensure that it is not accused of “taking aspects”.
“We prefer that an independent body such as Fifa which has the capacity to do it will be able to handle the enquiries,” he said in October 2022. “Definitely we are going to take sanctions; we have enough rules and regulations within football that we can deal with.”
The Guardian has contacted the Zambian police for comment.
It is understood that Fifa is aware of the allegations made against Mwape and has been in touch with the FAZ to investigate. However, a Fifa spokesperson said it could not comment on ongoing investigations. “Please word that as a basic coverage, the unbiased ethics committee does no longer touch upon whether or not or no longer investigations are below manner into alleged circumstances,” he said. “As standard, any knowledge the ethics committee would possibly love to percentage might be communicated at their discretion.”
Zambia, one among 4 African groups within the Women’s World Cup, are in Group C with Spain, Japan and Costa Rica and can play the ones video games in New Zealand.