Chronicle Editor
Sikhumbuzo Moyo, Senior Sports Reporter
In a development that will bring joy to lower league teams, Zifa has said it will pay for all Covid-19 tests for players.
There had been concerns that the national association was backtracking on its earlier promise to meet costs of the tests from Fifa Covid-19 relief funds.
Zifa communications and competitions manager Xolisani Gwesela said: “What is remaining from the Fifa Covid-19 relief funds is money for the lower league teams’ tests and we will meet their needs for those tests. Our Covid disbursements were transparent and we even published the disbursement document for all to see. We covered Covid-19 testing for the PSL last year.
“We received from Fifa and Caf a total of $1.8 million as follows; US$1 million from Fifa, US$500 000 for women from Fifa and US$300 000 from Caf. We made public the distribution and never diverted anything. PSL got theirs last year for tests and what we have now is for regions, provinces and affiliates as in the distribution list.”
Meanwhile, Zifa has started registering players that are out of contract following concerns that some clubs were refusing to issue clearance letters for the players, demanding that they be paid compensation fees first.
“In the interest of all parties and football progress and to avert potential crisis, Zifa has taken a decision to immediately register all affected players with clubs of their choice so that they can play football, while whoever is aggrieved can pursue for recourse through proper dispute handling procedures as available in our football statutes. Zifa would like to reiterate that it is not at all ruling on the status of the affected players, but the association as the mother body is ensuring that player careers are not jeopardised while a dispute is ensuing,” said Zifa in a letter to the PSL on Sunday morning.
Zifa says it cannot prescribe to contracting parties how their relationship must be governed and neither can it interfere on labour matters involving two parties.
“By copy of this letter, the Premier Soccer League secretariat is hereby ordered to immediately facilitate that all affected players are registered with clubs of their choice,” reads the Zifa letter.
Online Reporter