Zambia’s Football Association bans reporter from interviewing national soccer team players
Zambia’s Football Association bans reporter from interviewing national soccer team players On 23 January 2010 the Football Association of Zambia (FAZ) banned ‘The Post’ Newspaper Reporter Kalumiana Kalumiana from talking to Zambian soccer team players at the ongoing Africa Cup of Nations in Angola.
This followed Kalumiana’s critical opinion article on national team coach Herve Renard and skipper Christopher Katongo’s reaction to the media after Zambia qualified to the quarter finals of the tournament for the first time in thirteen years.
FAZ Communications Officer Erick Mwanza in a telephone interview from Angola confirmed the development during a live phone in programme on ZNBC. He said that FAZ vice president, Emmanuel Munaile and delegation leader for the tournament were scheduled to issue a comprehensive statement.
Kalumiana told The Post newspaper that FAZ officials had warned him not to visit the team hotel and that security officers have since been instructed not to allow him at the hotel were the team is staying.
Reynard and Katongo are reported to have taken turns in blasting Zambian journalists covering the Africa Cup of Nations. During a post match briefing after Zambia beat Gabon by two goals to one, the duo launched a verbal tirade on the journalists accusing them of being too critical of the team and a lack of support. //End//
