adminRay Bande Senior Sports Reporter
CASTLE Lager Premiership new entrants Dongo Sawmills remain unfazed by baseless rumours that they face a ban owing to purported Club Licensing Regulations, the team owner, Francis Dongo, has said.Rumours in domestic soccer circles, amplified by reports in some sections of the media, had it that Dongo Sawmills face a ban from the top-flight league as their ownership structure and that of fellow Premiership side Buffaloes contravene the Club Licensing Regulations.
Fifa Club Licensing Regulations state that: “No natural or legal person involved in the management, administration and/or sporting performance of the club, either directly or indirectly: a) holds or deals in the securities or shares of any other club participating in the same competition”.
However, the Nyanga businessman came out guns blazing, saying his club had a cordial relationship with the army, but that had nothing to do with the control and ownership of his team.
Dongo, who was also the vice-chairman of fellow Premiership side Buffaloes, which is chaired by Mutare businessman Hlanganiso Matangaidze ceased to be part of the Buffaloes executive well before the 2013 season.
The soft-spoken Nyanga businessman said the name Buffaloes Juniors was more of a creation of the media since they have always been registered as Dongo Sawmills.
“I do not know the agenda behind rumours that we are facing a ban from PSL. As far as we are concerned we are an independent entity and we are going ahead with our pre-season preparations independently.
“I was fascinated by the fact that some people still allege that I am the Buffaloes vice-chairman. The correct position is that I was the Buffaloes vice-chairman until the end of 2012. Everyone is aware of that. My team and the army have always had a cordial relationship since the formation of my club, but never at any point did we fall under the control of the army.
“Buffaloes remain our good brothers since they have been in the PSL before us, but they are well aware of the fact that we have our club to run independently. We relate with Buffaloes in many ways and we cherish that cordial relationship, but the two clubs are run independent of each other,” he said.
Zifa Eastern Region administration has already written to the mother body indicating that Dongo Sawmills, and not Buffaloes Juniors, have been promoted into PSL.
“Please be advised that Dongo Sawmills Football Club are the 2014 champions for the Eastern Region Division One League and therefore have been promoted to join the Castle Lager Premier Soccer League,” reads part of the letter to Zifa chief executive signed by the Zifa Eastern Region fixtures secretary Farari Rutsvara.
While some sections continue quoting statutes from the Fifa Club Licensing Regulations, Zifa recently told online publication, Sportszone, that there are no rules and regulations that block an institution or individuals from registering more than one club in the same league in Zimbabwe at the moment.
This was said after some concerns had been raised after the Zimbabwe Prison and Correctional Services indicated that they would be fielding both WhaWha and Flame Lily in the Castle Lager Premiership this season.
WhaWha won promotion from the Zifa Central Region, while Flame Lily were the Northern Region champions and both teams are set to make their maiden appearances in the elite league.
Zifa chief executive Jonathan Mashingaidze told Sportszone that delays in implementing the club licencing systems allows an individual owner or institution to field more than one franchise in the same league at the moment.
Fifa adopted the club licensing as a way of improving the game and among its objectives is promoting transparency in the ownership of clubs and also promoting transparency in the control of clubs.
“We are seized with the scenario where teams owned my one institution can participate in the same league. The regulations that dissuade that scenario are silent in Zimbabwe and that emanates from the clubs licensing which we want to implement.
“So, at present an institute can field more than one team in the same league, but I think as from 2016, there could be a review,” said Mashingaidze.
Last season the police fielded ZRP Morris and ZRP Football, club formerly, Black Mambas in the Zifa Northern Region, while the army had Black Rhinos and Buffaloes in the Premiership.
“Right now Flame Lily and WhaWha would be playing in the Premiership if they manage to register, but on January 31, we will meet and try to roll out the club licencing system.
“We hope this club licencing will deal with the issues so that as from 2016, one institution will have one club in one league. There is need to put the statutes in place and we should be having a committee that will see to it that the licensing is being implemented,” said Mashingaidze.
Castle Lager Premiership chief executive Kenny Ndebele said domestic football was still operating on old rules and there was need to revamp the statues.
“We are using the old regulations from 1996 to govern our football and that issue of multiple ownership of clubs can be addressed through the clubs licencing and Zifa will be the best people to deal with that area,” said Ndebele.
Online Reporter