dyton mupawaenda
Petros Kausiyo
The Herald, February 24, 2024
JUST when they thought there would be light at the end of the tunnel and that they would kick-start the 2024 Castle Lager Premier Soccer League season with the rest of the top-flight sides, Bikita Minerals remain frozen out following delays by ZIFA in determining their status.
ZIFA, who late last month had referred the case to an Appeals Committee, have made an about turn, and have now tasked a prosecutor to sit as a disciplinary committee to try the ERSL board for allegedly not considering a complaint by Tenax to be factored in as an interested party in the dispute involving Bikita and Grayham.
Curiously, in the summons, Bikita — who thought they had done enough to be seal the ERSL promotion into the Premiership — have virtually been sidelined.
Instead, the ambitious lithium miners have been made to continue with their anxious wait to know if they will play in the Premiership following delays emanating from the belated intervention of the Normalisation Committee on the matter.
Bikita were awarded points for their final league game against Grayham, after playing under protest and successfully appealing against the use of an ineligible player by their opponents.
But the decision taken by the ERSL’s disciplinary committee did not sit well with eventual runners-up Tenax, who took the matter up with the Normalisation Committee.
Initially, Lincoln Mutasa’s leadership had set an Appeals Committee to preside over the case before noting their boob in starting a fresh case at an appeal stage.
They have now summoned the ESRL board to come for a disciplinary hearing to answer to charges of ignoring a complaint from Tenax in their determination of the Division One champions.
An analysis of the charge sheet outlined by ZIFA prosecutor — Chipo Chichetu — suggests finality on the status of the ERSL champions is still a long shot.
Online Reporter