The country’s Minister of Sports, Arts and Culture, Kirsty Coventry, said that FIFA had lifted the ban on Zimbabwe’s participation in world tournaments.
Coventry described the end of the 18-month suspension as “exciting” and “incredible” at a press conference in Harare, reports Xinhua.
The International Federation of Football Associations (FIFA) lifted the ban on Monday, just two days before the draw for the African qualifiers for the next World Cup in Canada, Mexico and the United States of America.
The official New Ziana news agency reported that the ban was imposed more than a year ago after what FIFA considered government interference in the management of the sport.
The ban followed a government decision to dissolve a nationally elected football body, the Zimbabwe Football Association (ZIFA), an affiliate of FIFA.
A four-member team has been appointed to run ZIFA’s affairs in the meantime.
– Jans
C.S
