Zambian Soccer Fans yesterday submitted a petition to the Football Association of Zambia (FAZ) requesting the Confederation of Africa Football (CAF) to include Zambia national team skipper Christopher Katongo on the final list for the 2012 African footballer of the year awards. Katongo, who has also been nominated for the BBC 2012 Africa footballer of the year award, failed to make the final five after voting by national coaches, technical directors and captains.
Speaking in an interview with the Lusaka star, Zambia Voluntary Soccer Fans Association (ZAVASOFA) Patron Pastor Peter Makembo said that a petition was submitted to FAZ General Secretary George Kasengele on Tuesday morning and that he expected CAF to answer soon.
Makembo said that CAF's decision to omit Katongo from the African-footballer of the year list was unacceptable.
“Katongo has played very well this year guiding the Chipolopolo Boys to victory in the Africa cup of Nations,” he said.
Makembo added that Cameroon Player Alexander Song did not deserve to be on the 2012 African-footballer of the year nominee list.
“Cameroon has not qualified for the past two Africa Cup of Nations games and Song has not performed very well at Arsenal this year,” he complained.
The final five on the list include Didier Drogba who plays for Ivory Coast and Shanghai Shenhua, Yaya Toure of Ivory Coast and Manchester City, Demba Ba of Senegal and New Castle ,Alexander Song of Cameroon and Barcelona and Andre Ayew of Ghana and Marseille.
Makembo also said that he was happy for Zambian players Stopilla Sunzu and Rainford Kalaba who had made it for the 2012 African based footballer of the year.
He was confident that either Sunzu or Kalaba would scoop the African based footballer of the year award.
The other player competing on the African based footballer of the year list is Mohamed Abu Trika from Egypt.
He said Sunzu and Kalaba’s nomination for the 2012 African based footballer of the year award indicates that Zambian football is heading in the right direction.