The Zimbabwe Football Association (ZIFA) has explained in more detail the controversial substitution of Qadr Amini during Warriors’ African Nations Championship Group A encounter against Mali.
Ian Nekati was brought in to replace Amini in the second minute of play at Japoma Stadium.
The Zdravko Logarusic’s men lost the dead rubber match 1-0 and were the first team to bow out of the tournament in Cameroon.
ZIFA has since revealed that Amini’s substitution was done on expert advice after a heart condition was detected on the player prior to the commencement of the tournament.
The Ngezi Platinum Stars utility man had missed the first two games against Cameroon and Burkina Faso due to an infection that had occurred after he tested positive of coronavirus two weeks before CHAN.
“ZIFA would like to categorically state that in line with CAF’s medical guidelines, there was a test that we were supposed to conduct on all players who had recently recovered from COVID-19 called Cardiac MRI test,” reads the statement as per ZimEye.
“Our medical team checked among radiology centers in the country and there was none in Zimbabwe conducting such a test.
“ZIFA wrote to CAF to arrange and facilitate that the affected CHAN players be tested in Cameroon. All the affected players were tested upon arrival in Yaounde and the Board was notified prior to the commencement of the tournament that the player was not fit to play due to heart complications.
“A decision was made not to field the player until the recovery of the player and subsequent retests. The Board was shocked to see the player in the starting line-up without the player having undergone another test.
“The technical and medical teams were engaged and could not give a convincing explanation on why the player was included. The Board then made a decision to order the technical team not to use the player until a retest had been conducted. The decision was made in the interest of the player’s health.
“The Board played its oversight role to protect the player from potential permanent harm that may have included death as well as to safeguard the reputation of the game of football.
“ZIFA urges the public and media to respect the privacy of the health status of the player and we wish the player a quick recovery.”
Zimbabwe lost the opening match 1-0 against the hosts, succumbed 3-1 to Burkina Faso and 1-0 to Mali.
