Fifa investigates misconduct claim involving Zambia Women’s World Cup team

Sydney – The Football Association of Zambia (FAZ) on Friday expressed “surprise” at claims its women’s coach abused a squad member at the World Cup, after Fifa launched an investigation into what it called an “allegation of misconduct”.

According to a report in The Guardian, Zambian coach Bruce Mwape is accused of rubbing a player’s breasts after a training session.

“We can confirm that a complaint has been received in relation to the Zambian women’s team and this is currently being investigated,” a Fifa spokesman said, without specifying the nature of the complaint.

“Fifa takes any allegation of misconduct extremely seriously and has a clear process in place for anyone in football who wants to report an incident.”

Zambia flew home after they were eliminated at the group stage of the tournament in Australia and New Zealand. The alleged incident happened two days before their 3-1 victory over Costa Rica in their final Group C match on Monday.

The country’s women’s football set-up has been plagued by allegations of improper conduct. When reports of misbehaviour surfaced online in 2022, the FAZ opened an investigation. It is not clear what the probe found, or whether any action was taken.

At press conferences during the World Cup, Mwape was repeatedly asked about the allegations, which he called “fake” while dismissing suggestions he should resign.

“What are you talking about? I would like to know because there is no way I can retire without reason,” said the 63-year-old who led Zambia to their first-ever World Cup after being appointed in 2018.

“Maybe your reason is because what you are reading from the media, but the truth should actually come out, not just on rumours.”

New Zealand Police said they “were made aware of an alleged incident” during the World Cup but, after initial enquiries, decided “no further action was required to be taken”.

Despite police and Fifa involvement, the FAZ denied knowledge of any recent complaint from players or its travelling delegation. The organisation said in a statement that it had “come as a surprise for us to hear of such alleged misconduct by the coach”, adding that it had demanded “the highest standards of integrity and transparency” from players and staff.

The association also said all training sessions had been filmed by its media team and a Fifa crew, and it had seen no evidence of any incident. It added that it would take disciplinary action “once we are in receipt of an official complaint or presented with evidence”.

There have been a series of sexual assault scandals in women’s football in recent times, notably in Gabon, Haiti, the United States and Afghanistan.

Fifa has in 2023 toughened its disciplinary proceedings for sexual assault or harassment in a revised code of ethics.

It removed the 10-year limitation period on prosecuting sexual offences and obliges “member associations and confederations to notify Fifa of any decisions rendered on sexual abuse”. AFP