Zambia's captain was not allowed to play in the Africa Cup of Nations because of high testosterone levels. She is supposed to be there at the World Cup in summer – the world association FIFA is revising its rules on gender determination.
Barbra Banda is Zambia's best player and team captain
“This is a great success for Zambia,” Ponga Liwewe told DW . The former managing director of the Zambian Football Association (FAZ) is relieved that Barbra Banda will probably be back on the field for Zambia at the World Cup, which will take place in Australia and New Zealand this summer. The 22-year-old attacker is the best player in her country and often makes the difference.
Banda was supposed to be a goal-scorer for Zambia at the Africa Cup of Nations in Morocco last summer but was dropped from the squad at short notice due to high testosterone levels. The affair sparked a dispute between the Zambian national association and the African Continental Confederation (CAF). According to ESPN, the FAZ pointed out that the CAF rules were “much stricter than the Olympic rules” and “put too much emphasis on testosterone levels”.
However, the CAF insisted that they only apply the standards set by FIFA. However, FIFA has already signaled that the World Cup could take place with Banda in the summer. At the same time, the world association is revising the gender regulations.
FIFA in the “consultation process”
“FIFA is currently revising the rules on eligibility for women and men – we are in a consultation process right now,” Sarai Bareman, FIFA women's football officer, told BBC Sport Africa. “In the coming months, FIFA will issue a new set of rules as many sports are also reviewing their own rules.”
The results are expected before the start of the World Cup in July, but until then, Zambian football is happy that the star of the country can compete. A statement by Bareman gives hope. She explained that “we look forward to welcoming her [Banda, ed.] to Australia and New Zealand next year”.
Banda scored ten goals at the COSAFA Women's Championship, including the winner in the final
“It was a big disappointment for Barbra Banda when she was banned from the Africa Cup of Nations,” said Liwewe. “It's a great relief for her to be back on the field and able to play at the highest level again. She does it with passion and gives 100 percent every time she puts on the Zambia green jersey.”
Zambia has qualified for a World Cup for the first time. Anticipation and expectations are high, after all the team took third place at the Africa Cup of Nations even without Banda. In the “small final” the Zambians prevailed against Nigeria. Many fans are convinced that Banda would have won the title for sure.
To China for 300,000 dollars
Banda rose to international prominence when she became the first player to score back-to-back hat-tricks in the 10-3 defeat by the Netherlands and in the 4-4 draw with China at the Tokyo 2020 Olympics. After missing out on the Africa Cup of Nations in Morocco, she returned to the COSAFA women's regional championship with a bang, scoring ten goals and leading in five games Zambia win the title against South Africa.
Barbra Banda has been playing for Shanghai Shengli in the Chinese league since 2020
Banda's footballing career began in Lusaka, the Zambian capital, where she began playing football with boys at the age of six. After a short time as a boxer, she returned to her sport, but had to keep it a secret from her parents. For example, she threw her soccer shoes out the window when she left the house to go to training so that no one would notice.
However, her talent did not remain undiscovered for long. On the contrary: football later even took Banda abroad – first to Logrono in Spain, then to China, where she is currently playing for Shanghai Shengli. Her signing by the Chinese for $300,000 was one of the largest transfers of female footballers in the world. Banda ended her first season in China with 18 goals in 13 appearances as the top scorer.
Inspiration from the pioneer
Banda's successes – with the club and in the national team – have consequences: More and more girls from Zambia also want to play football and are discovering their potential. “Barbra Banda is a pioneer of women's football,” says former FAZ managing director Liwewe. “The steps she has taken abroad have inspired so many young girls in the country to play football, which was not the case a few years ago.”
According to Liwewe, not only children and young people, but also other professional players follow Zambia's exceptional player as an example. “She opened the eyes of the players in the top leagues that by playing for the national team we have the chance to do even bigger things by playing in the overseas markets.”
Zambia benefits from investment in women's football
The success of Banda and her teammates is the result of the FAZ's efforts to promote women's football. The launch of a new women's super league has meant that players can now compete nationwide. Previously, they were limited to regional competitions. Big clubs like Zesco United, Red Arrows, Green Buffaloes and others have fielded women's teams in the Super Division. The FAZ also made changes that meant that the women's senior national team no longer traveled by land and received the same conditions as the senior men's national team.
Ponga Liwewe (black polo shirt) celebrates with Zambia's women's team after Olympic qualification
“We revised the expense allowances, gave the league a high profile and restructured women's football. It was only a matter of time before the results started to bear fruit,” said Liwewe. “The Olympic Games at the latest showed that Zambia's efforts for women's football are paying off, and I think that women's football has had a lot of support at home since then.”
There are also firsts on a commercial level Signs of inflow of resources. Liwewe are also hoping for a good performance at the World Cup this summer to establish the Zambian women's team as a rising force in global football. However, the team faces a difficult task: in Group C, Spain, Costa Rica and ex-world champions Japan are the opponents.
“Realistically, at this point in the development of Zambian football, we would be happy if Zambia reached the quarter-finals,” says Liwewe. “The Zambian women are talented and have the ability, but the World Cup will be a difficult undertaking for any team, especially an African team.” experienced a welcome upswing in the team.
The text was adapted from the English.