MUKWIMA CHILALA writes
A REFORMED match fixer Nchimunya Mweetwa says he has reformed and has embarked on anti-match fixing campaign dubbed ‘Yes to clean sport’ to end the vice in the sport.
Mweetwa was among 8 Zambian footballers that were convicted of match fixing and given suspended sentences in 2012 at the height of the vice which saw a number of high profile players in Scandinavian countries, especially in Finland suspended and convicted.
He has now taken to organizing awareness talks and football matches where he stresses for clean games.
Mweetwa has targeted young African sports men and women who he said were prone to match fixing due their backgrounds.
“Africa is a poverty stricken continent, we are not privileged enough like these other continents like Europe and America but we cannot say because of poverty that is why we should behave unethically,” he told the BBC sport in a recent interview.
In an interview with the Sun sports, Mweetwa said that his awareness campaign was supported by the Norwegian Olympic and Paralympic committee as well as the Confederation of Sport (NIF) which saw him get an invitation as guest speaker at the Norwegian sports Gala last week.
“I was invited to attend the Norwegian National sports Gala, before the gala there was the national seminar on match fixing and I happened to be one of the speakers, the seminar was between January 5 -7, 2019.
“I later presented to the Norwegian Olympic and Paralympic Committee and confederation of sport on the January 7, 2019.,” he said
Mweetwa explained that the ‘ Yes to clean sport ’ was aimed at raising awareness against unethical conduct in sport, adding that he would soon embark on a countrywide tour for the same cause.
“We started touring the country last year and shall continue doing so this year as we want to touch all parts of Zambia,’’ he said.
Mweetwa played for Rovaniemi Palloseura (RoPs) in Finland but was in 2012 convicted and given suspended sentences for match fixing alongside other Zambian players.
“We cannot say because of poverty that is why I am stealing. For me and the rest of the group what we are trying to do is to reduce the number of athletes falling prey to this vice. It is difficult and it is very hard because everyone wants to have food on the table and if you are offered money to dishonestly manipulate a game you are tempted
“We are trying to make people understand that you can actually live with a true conscience and make it in life,” he said
