Harare- The Zimbabwe Football Association (ZIFA) has Saturday released an official statement detailing the reasons behind the exclusion of midfielder Marshall Munetsi from the Warriors squad submitted for the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON),Express Mail Zim can report According to ZIFA, the decision was made in strict accordance with Confederation of African Football (CAF) regulations and the FIFA Club Protection Programme (2023‑2026). The association said it maintained continuous documented communication with Munetsi’s club regarding his medical condition and availability for international duty and ensuring full compliance with CAF competition rules and FIFA frameworks on player release, insurance and duty of care. In the statement , ZIFA said the Head Coach kept open and direct dialogue with Munetsi.
The association emphasised that player health and welfare are its overriding priority. Medical reports from the club confirmed Munetsi was managing an injury when final squad selections were made. Under the FIFA Club Protection Programme, injuries present at the start of international duty are excluded from automatic insurance coverage unless specific procedural and medical condition including formal clearance and risk‑mitigation documentation are met.
Following Munetsi’s willingness to represent Zimbabwe despite the injury, ZIFA formally requested a written consent letter and liability waiver from his club which is a mandatory prerequisite under the FIFA programme for releasing injured professionals for “A” international matches. The required documents were not received by the CAF squad submission deadline leaving the clearance outstanding. In the absence of the necessary paperwork, ZIFA determined it could not lawfully, responsibly and ethically include Munetsi in the final squad as such would violate regulatory compliance requirements. The association reiterated its adherence to FIFA and CAF guidelines in safeguarding both player welfare and institutional integrity.
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