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THE Zambia Amateur Athletics Association (ZAAA) have backed the decision by the Copperbelt Amateur Athletics Area Board (CAAAB) to slap an indefinite life ban on legendary runner Samuel Matete.
ZAAA president Elias Mpondela said in an interview that the regional body acted within its powers.
CAAAB at the weekend slapped an indefinite life ban on Matete for organising athletic events without permission of the regional body.
Mpondela said he was not opposed to the decision and that it was not in order for anyone to be organising athletic events without getting permission from ZAAA or their regional affiliates.
“Though we have not received a formal report on the decision yet, we heard about what was happening on the Copperbelt and
I believe under the circumstances and also that the CAAAB is the only mandated body to run athletics in the Province, their action to ban Mr Matete is within their powers,” Mpondela said.
CAAAB secretary Lewis Mwenya said Matete had decided to disobey clear instructions of not organising any athletics related event unless with express permission from the Area Board as it was the body mandated to run athletics on the Copperbelt.
But Matete in response said there was no way the CAAAB could ban him when his matter was with the courts of law and that there was need to respect the courts of law.
However, Mpondela said it was surprising that Matete had refused to work within the ZAAA structure opting to operate from outside.
Mpondela said the international sports norms had no place for people like Matete and that the Federation of International Athletics Associations (IAAF) had been informed of the recent happening in Zambia and were annoyed.
“It is surprising that he (Matete) has refused to work with us, either as national coach or anything else. He took ZAAA to court and as a consequence, he is not recognised by the IAAF.
“If you take an association to court, you automatically cease to be a member. In athletics, once you do that, you are in trouble with world mother body,” he said.
He said that the IAAF and general sports structure provides for an aggrieved person, after exhausting all local avenues, to take the case to Court of Arbitration which is an independent body.
timesofzambia
