Zambia’s coach, Bruce Mwape, has been accused of intentionally touching a Fifa contractor on the breast during last year’s Women’s World Cup in Australia and New Zealand. A few days before that, similar claims were made against him by a player, the Guardian can reveal.
Fifa is investigating allegations made in August that Mwape – who remains in charge of Zambia and is expected to lead them at this summer’s Olympic Games – rubbed his hands over the chest of a player after a training session before their historic victory over Costa Rica at the end of July in Hamilton. It has been revealed that before the tournament Mwape – who has previously denied the accusations – was the subject of an investigation into allegations of sexual misconduct by a number of players in the squad that had been referred to world football’s governing body by the Zambian Football Association (FAZ).
But allegations have now emerged that Fifa also received an official complaint accusing the 64-year-old of touching the breast of the Fifa contractor – who is from New Zealand and was employed for the tournament and wishes to remain anonymous – while the team were staying in an Auckland hotel before their match against Spain.
“I remember him putting his hand on my shoulder to say ‘Good morning’, but then he went again and wiped his hand straight down the front, obviously touching my boob,” the contractor told the Guardian. “It happened so quickly. It felt wrong to me but I also questioned whether it had just been a mistake. As in by accident. But after that his relationship with me was very different. So I think he knew what he had done was not appropriate.”
The Fifa contractor signed a statement that was sent to Fifa via its safeguarding officer and was also advised to report the incident to New Zealand police. However, she says she did not want to disrupt Zambia’s preparations for the tournament so decided not to. FAZ’s general secretary, Reuben Kamanga, was also informed and urged to investigate.
“I felt humiliated and used,” the contractor told Kamanga in a WhatsApp message that has been seen by the Guardian. He wrote back asking if she would be “free to testify should we require you to do so?” to which she responded: “What do I need to sign from FAZ to testify? ‘Should we require you to do so’? I would have thought you would 100% wish this to be a written statement.” Kamanga agreed to “inform my administration about what you have said on coach Bruce”.
Mwape, Kamanga and FAZ have not responded to questions about the incident. A Fifa spokesperson referred to its statement from August that said it could “confirm that a complaint has been received in relation to the Zambian women’s national team and this is currently being investigated”.
The contractor also said she raised concerns about conditions the squad were forced to endure. “It was awful,” she said. “They had no money when they were in New Zealand so they had to just stay in the hotel. You would see all the other teams from other countries going out to have coffees and things but our girls didn’t because they couldn’t afford it.
“I remember one day Reuben gave them all $100 and thought he was a God. They all went to Kmart and bought suitcases so they could get home.”
Zambia’s participation at the Paris Olympics is in doubt with Fifa threatening FAZ with suspension after accusations of money-laundering offences against its president, Andrew Kamanga, and “undue influence by third parties”.
Fifa is understood to still be considering whether to impose sanctions after requesting more information from Kamanga and other senior members of the FAZ last week. An IOC spokesman said that it could not comment on an ongoing investigation but said: “We will be following the outcome of this case closely, for consideration with respect to the Olympic Games.”
