Zambia’s football association expressed its astonishment on Friday in response to allegations of misconduct involving their women’s coach during the ongoing World Cup.
FIFA initiated an investigation into the matter after claims emerged that coach Bruce Mwape had allegedly acted inappropriately towards a player, specifically by rubbing her breasts after a training session.
A complaint regarding the Zambian women’s national team has been received by FIFA, prompting a serious examination of the matter.
Last year, when reports of misbehavior first surfaced online, the Football Association of Zambia conducted its own investigation, but the findings and any resulting actions remain undisclosed.
During press conferences at the World Cup, Coach Mwape vehemently denied the allegations, branding them as “fake” and rejecting calls for his resignation.
The New Zealand Police were also made aware of the alleged incident during the tournament but after initial inquiries, they concluded that no further action was necessary.
Despite police and FIFA involvement, the Football Association of Zambia asserted that they had no knowledge of any recent complaints from players or their delegation.
They expressed surprise at the alleged misconduct, emphasizing their commitment to upholding the highest standards of integrity and transparency among players and staff.
The association stated that all training sessions had been recorded by their media team and a FIFA crew, and so far, no evidence of any incident had been found. Nonetheless, they assured that if an official complaint or evidence were presented, appropriate disciplinary action would be taken.
