Several reports made on social media have prompted Zambia’s Football Association (FAZ) to launch an investigation into charges of sexual assault in the national women’s team. The announcement comes barely two months after Zambia’s first-ever qualification for the Women’s World Cup.
In spite of not having received any official complaints as of yet, FAZ says it has opened an investigation to remedy any potential problems. “We consider these allegations to be very serious and have opened an inquiry into the matter,” FAZ General Secretary Adrian Kashala said in a statement. “Although we have no record of official complaints from anyone on the allegations,” said Kashala.
“We will work with the Zambia Police Service and other pertinent parties to address this issue…since then, we’ve written to the Zambian police to invite anyone with information to contribute to our investigations. Once the inquiries are finished, the nation will be informed of the results. We won’t comment further on this issue until that time,” Kashala added. The friendly match against the Netherlands on October 6 in Breda has not been impacted, Kashala reported, adding that preparations for the 2023 Women’s World Cup remained on track.
Local football authorities have urged anyone with knowledge that would aid in the investigation to come forward and report either to FAZ or police enforcement agencies. In the past year, three African nations have looked into allegations of sexual assault, with Zambia being the third.
Zambian women’s football has been more popular in recent years, and last year the women’s team participated in the Olympics for the first time before making their first-ever Africa Cup of Nations semifinal appearance in July.
Automatic qualification for the World Cup in Australia and New Zealand the following year was granted for this accomplishment. Barbra Banda, who was just recalled after being subjected to tests to determine whether her testosterone levels are above those allowed to compete as a woman, scored 10 goals in just five games to help the team win the COSAFA Africa Women Cup of Nations earlier this month for the first time ever.
Of recent, allegations of harassment and sexual assault have scandalized African football teams. In Gabon, five people were detained earlier this year on suspicion of child sex abuse; meanwhile, in Sierra Leone, the women’s football coach was suspended last year as the country looked into reports of abuse. This month, a former Zimbabwe Football Association (ZIFA) official received a five-year football suspension for harassing three female referees in a sexual manner.
