BY TAWANDA TAFIRENYIKA ZIFA believe that their general-secretary Joseph Mamutse should be allowed to resume work by operation of law after he filed a notice of appeal against his suspension. Mamutse was suspended by the Sports and Recreation Commission (SRC) board to institute investigations into alleged irregularities in the clearance of national football teams to tournaments in South Africa. The country’s sports regulatory body also suspended its director-general Prince Mupazviriho over similar allegations. However, Zifa has demanded Mamutse’s reinstatement, arguing that his ban was unlawful and unprocedural. Mamutse has since filed a notice of appeal and it is Zifa’s contention that by operation of law, he should be back at work. The country’s soccer controlling body has written to SRC to confirm the position so that he can be allowed to return to work. Zifa lawyer Chenaimoyo Gumiro, however, said SRC has not responded to their request. “He (Mamutse) filed a notice of appeal to SRC and by operation of law, that sets aside his suspension. We have, therefore, written to SRC to confirm this position so that he can be allowed to resume duties, but we have not received response. So we will have to follow it up again,” he said. The football federation views SRC’s actions as a violation of Fifa statutes which require member associations to run their affairs independently without undue influence from third parties. They have since approached the Administrative Court. A Fifa suspension would mean national teams and local clubs would be banned from playing in international competitions, and funding would cease until reinstatement was granted. However, SRC insist they are empowered by the constitution to act as they did — suspending the football administrator and that their decision was in the interests of the national game. lFollow Tawanda on Twitter @tawatafi