adminBulawayo Chiefs who acquired the FC Windermere franchise are said to have lured 10 Emakhandeni Pirates contracted players to join them.
These are Israel Mukahanana, Emmanuel Ndebele, Preference Mpofu, Thamsanqa Mpofu, Lucky Nyathi, James Kabiso, Farai Sibanda, Gilbert Tapela, Sijabuliso Simango and Lawrence Mangena.
Simango was Emakhandeni’s captain last season.
A fuming Emakhandeni Pirates chairman, Faith Silandulo Dube yesterday said it was scandalous for Chiefs to want to register players that had contracts with his club without engaging the club.
“Bulawayo Chiefs FC, is a new football franchise which has not yet played either professional or amateur football and yet they have written to ZIFA Southern Region claiming ownership of football players without the requisite clearance letters from their previous clubs. They have written to Zifa claiming ownership of our contracted
players and Zifa advised them that the issue will dealt with by the players status committee.
“We have a copy of their letter stating that they are talking and have engaged our contracted players,” said Dube.
He said Bulawayo Chiefs should have engaged them first before approaching the players.
Dube said they were also shocked to learn that Zifa Southern Region had forwarded the matter to the Players’ Status Committee without engaging them as clubs that had contracts with the players.
The Zifa Southern Region secretary Brian Moyo confirmed that the two clubs were involved in player wrangle. He said the matter had since been referred to the Players’ Status Committee.
He said matches involving the two clubs would go ahead as they had registered 30 players.
“We have taken their case to the Players’ Status Committee so that the issue is resolved speedily. The players under dispute have not been registered pending the outcome of the matter and they will not play until finalisation of this case.
“All our fixtures will go ahead as planned,” Moyo said.
Bulawayo Chiefs take on Ntabazinduna Prison in Ntabazinduna this afternoon while Emakhandeni Pirates will be home to Tsholotsho Pirates tomorrow.
The matches that have been postponed are Rufaro versus Bantu Rovers and Railstars versus Hwange Juniors.
Fixtures
Today: Ntabazinduna v Bulawayo Chiefs (Ntabazinduna), ZPC v Projects (Hwange)
Tomorrow: Power Cosmos v Mpumalanga (Hwange), Sizani Fruits and Veg v New West City (White City, 12pm), Zimbabwe Saints v Sao Paulo (Luveve), How Mine v Black Boots (How Mine), Emakhandeni Pirates v Tsholotsho Pirates (White City)
Online Reporter