Nust abandons Division One franchise

Ricky Zililo Senior Sports Reporter
NUST have discarded the Zifa Southern Region Division One Soccer League franchise they had taken over from former champions Quelaton in 2014 after failing to pay $7,000 for it.

Nust recently wrote to Quelaton notifying them of their decision to surrender the franchise.

“It’s with a heavy heart that the university found itself with no other option but to let go such a project at a time when the team’s performance in the Division One League was evidently improving,” wrote Felix Moyo, director of communication and marketing at Nust, to Quelaton on Monday.

Nust finished 11th last season with 33 points from 30 games in the 18-team league. They were viewed as one of the clubs with a bright future in the league as they gave top teams that included champions Bulawayo City, Bulawayo Chiefs and Technosphere a good run for their money.

With Nust out of the country’s first tier football league, this leaves Midlands State University (MSU) as the only tertiary institution club to challenge for a topflight slot. MSU are in the Central Soccer League.

Quelaton director Tawanda Ruzive confirmed that Nust never paid him for the franchise and said he would look for partners and revive the club.

“Quelaton is back in Division One because Nust have just notified me that they are no longer in a position to continue with the football team.

“As for any money exchanging hands between Nust and myself, that never happened because they kept on shifting goalposts.

“However, the good thing is that they don’t owe Zifa Southern Region anything because they are one of the few clubs that paid their affiliation and referees’ fees in full,” said Ruzive.

The Quelaton director said an unnamed coach has been training players in anticipation of competing in Division One.

“When we made that deal with Nust in 2014, it included players. So most of the players they were using will revert to Quelaton and the boys have been training,” Ruzive said.

Zifa Southern Region chairman Musa Mandaza said he will only comment once his office is in receipt of a letter from Nust.

“We haven’t received a letter to that effect (Nust ceding franchise) and I therefore have no comment.

“We’ll wait for a letter from Nust and then the executive will decide the course of action because we held our AGM last week,” said Mandaza.

The Zifa Southern Region League starts next month.