Soccer fans protest

Wed, 01 Mar 2017 08:38:47 +0000

…they are up in arms against FAZ decision to play all Zambian games in Lusaka

SOCCER fans in Ndola have boycotted group B AfCON under-20 matches at the Levy Mwanawasa Stadium because of FAZ’s decision that the Zambian team should play all its three group matches in Lusaka.

ZANIS reported yesterday there was a poor turnout at Levy Mwanawasa Stadium with fans charging that unless FAZ changes its strategy and gives the Copperbelt-based fans one Zambian game the stadium will not be filled to capacity during this whole tournament.

“What we are saying is that give us one game involving Zambia or else the terraces will keep being empty. There is no way all the three group stage games involving Zambia should be played in Lusaka, even Ndola is  part of Zambia, we are also hosting the AfCON Under-20 ” said Moses Kambole one of the aggrieved fans.

Another irate fan from Chifubu Township, Arnold Mwila explained that the empty terraces in yesterday’s group B opening matches are a sign of boycott by the soccer loving fans on the Copperbelt because the Andrew Kamanga led FAZ executive allegedly not being fair.

“If it was Kalusha Bwalya, he could have given Copperbelt to host one match involving Zambia, but this Kamanga is not considerate. Copperbelt is the power house of football.

“ We shall also show him that we are not happy, the stadium will always be empty. It’s not about the charges, in fact  K10. 00 is too cheap. It’s a boycott. We will be watching ( games ) from bars,” he said.

The fans have further charged that should Zambia go through to the finals which will be held at National Heroes stadium in Lusaka, they will travel in numbers and FAZ should workout modalities of how they will get into the stadium.

Crispin Mwala of Main Masala Township explained that FAZ should spare some space for Copperbelt fans in the stadium so that they could also cheer their team.

“We know that Zambia will go through to the finals, so we shall all travel to Lusaka to watch the finals, because we are all Zambians and the final is set for Lusaka so Kamanga must make way for us to enter the stadium, even if it means standing all throughout the game, otherwise we are going to Lusaka,” Mwala emphasized.

Yesterday only a handful of supporters were at Levy Mwanawasa to witness the opening match of group B between South Africa and Sudan.