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Sports Reporter
BULAWAYO Metropolitan Province will not have representatives in the Zimbabwe Netball Association’s Super League after their teams withdrew from promotional play-offs due to lack of funding.
Precious Mudenge, an official from the Bulawayo Netball League, said 2016 champions ZRP Bulawayo, runners-up Highlanders and Free Stars, who finished third, will not be taking part in the national play-offs slated for February 11-12 in Harare.
“It’s unfortunate that financial constraints have forced Bulawayo teams to pull out of the Super League play-offs. ZRP Bulawayo, Highlanders and Free Stars indicated that they will not be able to fund their campaign in the topflight as they will be required to travel to Harare every fortnight. This means our clubs will have to do with the provincial league,” said Mudenge.
She said registration for the Bulawayo Netball League will begin after the Super League’s play-offs.
“We can’t start registration now because there is a risk that some clubs might make last minute turnabouts and decide to go for the Super League. Once the Super League is done with its registration, the Bulawayo Netball League will start the process of registering teams,” Mudenge said.
Last year the Bulawayo Netball League began the season with 14 teams, 11 from Bulawayo and three from Hwange.
The Hwange clubs, Colliery, Mwachapa and ZPC Hwange, withdrew after playing a couple of games due to financial constraints.
Mudenge is hopeful they will retain the 11 clubs, ZRP Bulawayo, Highlanders, Free Stars, Delta Sparrows, Jumbos, Fairbridge, Sobukhazi, TelOne, Khami, Lupane State University and Imbizo for the 2017 season.
She challenged schools and tertiary institutions to join the league to expose their players to highly competitive matches.
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