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Palmer new Leopards coach

Johannesburg - Ian Palmer has replaced Sunday Chidzambwa as head coach of Premiership side Black Leopards.

The club said on Tuesday that Chidzambwa, embroiled in the Asiagate match-fixing scandal, had been given a technical director position within the club's structures.

Leopards chairperson David Thidiela insisted Chidzambwa had not stepped down due to the corruption scandal.

"We want to clear the air, we stand by our coach," Thidiela said.

"He will fulfill a technical role in the club and Ian Palmer, from today, will be our new coach."

Chidzambwa was one of 15 coaches, players, officials and journalists who were handed lifetime bans by the Zimbabwe Football Association earlier this month after investigations into match-fixing and corruption.

Thidiela said they not yet received confirmation that Chidzambwa had been found guilty for his alleged role in the scandal, though Fifa has confirmed it is in the process of extending the ban globally.

Chidzambwa, a former coach of the Zimbabwe national team, was appointed head coach of Leopards - his second term with the club - when he replaced Vladislav Heric in May.

His successor, Palmer, was sacked by Maritzburg United in January after the Pietermaritzburg club denied his request for time off during the season to attend a level-three pro-licence coaching course.

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