Warriors Midfielder Chafa Suspended Over Doping Charges
Zimbabwe Warriors
WASHINGTON —
The Zimbabwe Football Association has suspended Warriors and Dynamos midfielder Devon Chafa for 30 days following his recent drugs test failure.
Chafa failed a FIFA drugs test in June resulting in the international football body recommending that ZIFA suspend him until he proves his innocence.
ZIFA officials met with the player in Harare Monday to inform him of the suspension.
Communications manager Xolani Gwesela of ZIFA says the football controlling body had no choice but to follow FIFA’s recommendations.
The Warriors and Dembare player alleges at the time of the FIFA test he was on some medication to treat an injury, adding that could be the source of the unspecified drug found in his system.
It is now up to the ZIFA doctors and Chafa to furnish FIFA with the evidence to clear his name. He has been given a tight timeline in which to should provide FIFA with the evidence to support his case as he has pleaded his innocence.
"Fifa has directed us to inform Chafa that he should furnish them with evidence to clear his name no later than September 16th, so we have advised him and we will work with him to clear his name," said Gwesela.
Dynamos team chairman, Kenny Mubaiwa says his club will stand by their player and will do everything possible to ensure the midfielder clears his name.
"We will stand by our player as we have faith that he will be able to clear his name soon," said Mubaiwa. "He is one of our best players and is very well behaved and we are disappointed that he has been caught up in this doping scandal."
