daniel chigunweTadious Manyepo
Zimpapers Sports Hub
SIMBA Bhora midfielder Gift Saunyama’s playing career could have been history.
It briefly was.
Just as he starred for Black Rhinos in 2019, he was fingered in a damaging match-fixing allegation after Chipembere lost a league match 3-0 to Herentals at the National Sports Stadium.
The accusations were so damning, and Saunyama, having been a former Herentals player, found himself in an awkward space yet central to every detail dropped on the whole drama.
The allegations would later be proven to be false, but the damage on Saunyama had been done.
He then decided to quit the game altogether.
Armed with a university degree, Saunyama said he was always in the market looking for jobs, and sometimes he would do menial jobs to put something on the table.
The Covid-19 pandemic, which froze out the game, didn’t do him any favour but he then decided to return in the middle of the 2023 season.
Saunyama initially rejoined Black Rhinos, who were fighting relegation, and although he helped them win 10 games in the second half of the season alone, it was too little too late for the soldiers, who still got relegated.
He then signed for Simba Bhora, where he played key roles in the midfield to help them win the league title last year.
“It (the allegations) really affected me a lot, but after a while I then decided that it’s not worth it. I knew what I wanted to do and what I wanted to achieve.
“I was there, sitting at home, and I then realised that talent was from God, and there are people who look up to me, those kids around you know, asking different stuff made me decide to come back to football and finish the fight,” said Saunyama.
“I think it is worth it in the end. Luckily, after coming back, everything started to work very well, and here I am, winning this championship medal.
“And all this is coming out after my decision to come back. I am really happy about the decision to come back to play. I think it’s one of the best decisions that I have ever made in my life.”
Saunyama was one of the most outstanding players in the league at the beginning of last term, but a groin sprain suffered after nine games put paid to his impressiveness in the season.
“I started all the first nine games of the season before picking up that groin injury, which took me to the sidelines for a very long time,” added Saunyama.
“I only came back on Match Day 23. I am grateful to the coaches who managed me very well.”
After 15 starts for the champions last year, Saunyama is hoping to steady it up this season, where Simba Bhora will also be representing the country in the CAF Champions League.
