Chronicle Editor
Sikhumbuzo Moyo, Senior Sports Reporter
CHICKEN Inn are up in arms with the Zifa secretariat for allowing FC Platinum to register defender Lawrence Mhlanga for their Total Caf Champions League campaign and threatened to report the matter to Caf and the Angolan football authorities.
FC Platinum take on Angola’s Desportivo de Agosto in the preliminary round of the competition and unveiled a 26-member provisional squad that included Mhlanga, who spent the whole of last season on the terraces as Chicken Inn fought for his return to Bulawayo.
A fuming Chicken Inn secretary Tawengwa Hara said Zifa chief executive officer Joseph Mamutse must not usurp the powers of the Zifa Player Status Committee, which is the legal body recognised by Fifa to decide on the status of players in the event of disputes.
“We are going to write to Caf and the Angolans. Caf should not give the player the licence. We did not clear him plus all our contracts have got an automatic two-year extension, a right which the team can exercise. If it’s said to expire in 2017 it is actually 2019 due to that agreed and signed automatic renewal,” said Hara.
In a letter written by Mamutse to the two parties, the Zifa secretary general said they were concerned that the player was disadvantaged for so long as a result of the dispute.
“The association has an obligation to protect the interests of both players and the clubs, hence at the expiry of his contract with Chicken Inn, the player (Mhlanga) is free to join any club of his choice,” wrote Mamutse.
Hara said Mamutse can’t usurp the functions of the players status committee, which ordinarily invites submissions from the parties in dispute within a prescribed time frame, hear oral evidence and apply its football mind to the matter before a judgment is pronounced.
“Mamutse is offside. He is not the Zifa Players’ Status Committee which can only declare a player a free agent. The boy took his matter to court and the matter is pending and he has not withdrawn it. What if the court decides otherwise? At first I thought it was football corruption, but it looks like its total ignorance of the football rules and the laws of the land. The matter is before a competent court, but someone made a personal decision,” said Hara.
FC Platinum media liaison and communications officer Chido Chizondo said they were only interested in the services of the player upon expiry of his contract, which she said has since expired.
“On the threats by Chicken Inn (to write to Caf and Angolans), we have no comment to make,” said Chizondo.
The rules and regulations of the competition allow FC Platinum to alter their squad by January 15 and thereafter no player can be replaced.
FC Platinum Total Caf Champions League provisional list
Goalkeepers: Petros Mhari, Wallace Magalane, Francis Tizayi
Defenders: Raphael Muduviwa, Jameson Mukombwe, Elvis Moyo, Kelvin Moyo, William Sitima, Gift Bello, Lawrence Mhlanga
Midfielders: Winston Mhango, Nqobizitha Masuku, Never Tigere, Kelvin Madzongwe, Marshall Mudehwe, Hillary Bakacheza, Rahman Kutsanzira, Rodwell Chinyengetere, Bret Amidu, Ali Sadiki
Strikers: Mkhokheli Dube, Gift Mbweti, Albert Eonde, Shadreck Mayembe, Nigel Papias, Charles Sibanda.
@skhumoyo2000
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