Where is Ferwafa in fight against match fixing?

It takes a single matchstick to set a whole bush on fire. This wise saying is not all about bushes and fire but in reality, it spells the dangers of procrastination. Through my column, I’d like to especially advise the Rwanda Football Federation (Ferwafa) to borrow this saying and take matters more seriously. Reports of match fixing in the national league have been recounted quite a number of times. Although it is not yet alarming, the consistence of reports cropping up at least once every year shouldn’t continue to be kept into the drawer for another day. It should be tackled head-on and right now. Clubs have taken the initiative to deal with the problem internally, but unfortunately, little is being done by the governing body. If indeed SC Kiyovu expelled its goalie, Andre Mazimpaka for being bribed to give away a game, why didn’t Ferwafa follow suit to issue a statement warning against this vice? How about Musanze sacking their head coach, his assistant and team captain over the similar allegation? Kiyovu were brave enough and did the right thing. You’d have to sympathise with their thin squad, well knowing that they also suspended another three of their own players for match fixing. Having suffered a defeat that was labeled to have been “bought” by Mukura, I wonder whether accepting bribes, and not giving bribes, is the only sin. Mukura, strongly deny any involvement in match-fixing but they benefited a good three points, their players remained unscathed, while Kiyovu lost an important game and also lost its players. Literally speaking, no one is asking Mukura to explain about reports of them bribing players from other clubs – and I wonder why. More cases like this have happened recently involving clubs such as Musanze FC and Espoir – but they are all reportedly solved “internally”. Ferwafa’s dormant state leaves a sour taste in the mouth of many people who want Rwandan football to progress. I mean; why should this even be a discussion? How hard is it to punish match-fixers? Dock points, relegate clubs, impose tight financial fines and you are good to go! So why does Ferwafa snail on? This reminds me of another incidence involving Jean Marie Ntagwabira, a former Rayon Sports coach who in 2012 admitted to match-fixing. Ferwafa ultimately banned him from all football related activities for a period of five years. Good. But he appealed and guess what? They reduced his ban to only two years! Meaning Ntagwabira could be preparing a comeback in coaching next season, and he won’t be short of employers. Simply put, by reducing his sentence so drastically, Ferwafa’s management sent out a dispiriting message: that they are not entirely up to the task of fighting this scourge. The mere fact that Vincent Nzamwita, the head of Ferwafa, hasn’t come out to show any signs of investigating Kiyovu and Musanze’s claims, it gives more proof of how unenthusiastic they are on the whole issue. Football is not about talent alone or about the ecstatic joy when your club wins. It is a way of life that is governed by ethics. It is a business that is not supposed to tolerate malpractices. Ferwafa should pick a leaf from the Italian football scandal of 2006. Juventus, a world renowned football powerhouse, suffered relegation after being found guilty of match-fixing. Despite being league champions at the time, Juve did not get any favors from the Italian Football Federation. Much as this decision weakened the domestic league, Serie A is now a competitive league and much more soothing to the eye. Match-fixing is the worst pest in football. It eliminates the much coveted competitive nature of players, and if Nzamwita does not see this, then he should quit football matters altogether. @RushAfrican on Twitter