LUSAKA, April 3 (Xinhua) -- Officials from Zambia's soccer governing body on Tuesday denied claims that hefty allowances paid to themselves during the under-20 national team tournaments last year were improper.
On Sunday, leaked documents from the Football Association of Zambia (FAZ) appeared in local media showing that the executive members paid themselves hefty allowances during the Under-20 Africa Cup of Nations and the Under-20 Council of Southern Africa Football Associations (COSAFA) Under-20 Championship last year.
The leaked documents have caused a stir in football circles in the country, forcing the government to demand a full report on how the executive members gave themselves the allowances.
Some soccer administrators on Tuesday reported the matter to the state Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC).
But Ponga Liwewe, the secretary-general of the soccer governing body , said there was nothing sinister in the allowances, as they were paid in a lump sum amount over work performed over a period of five months.
He said in a statement that the allowances accrued because officials were not paid for work done between November 2016 and March 2017 and that the amounts paid were standard daily allowances which were paid in one lump sum, six months after the tournaments.
He added that the executive was concerned that some expelled members of the soccer governing body leaked the documents to the media and that the executive members were available to clear the air over the documents.
"Further, we wish to advise that we have briefed the Ministry of Youth, Sport and Child Development and have since rendered a detailed report. We will in due course also inform CAF and FIFA accordingly," he said.