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Ray Bande Mutare Bureau
TWO referees instead of three are officiating matches in the ZIFA Manicaland Division Two League as match officials are withdrawing their services citing poor payments of $5 per game.
ZIFA Manicaland Division Two League has since been divided into three owing to prohibitive transport costs with the Mutare league featuring 18 teams, the Chipinge league 14 and the Rusape Division Two league with eight affiliate clubs.
Winners from the three leagues then get into the Eastern Region Division One promotion play-offs at the end of the season.
The once competitive Zifa Manicaland Division Two League, a grassroots paradise known in the past for providing players to more competitive Division One and Premiership clubs, has been reeling under financial difficulties.
Under normal circumstances, match officials handling Division Two matches are supposed to share $70 apart from their transport fees, as stipulated by ZIFA.
A referee, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said they are finding it difficult to use personal resources for them to officiate league matches.
“We are having challenges in getting the money that we deserve after officiating Division Two matches. This is the reason we are now having two match officials officiating in league matches.
“We all know that the economy is not performing as well as we would want but the fact remains, if football does not pay one has to look for other things to do.
“It is even disheartening to note that we are paid so little at a time it costs a fortune to attend courses to upgrade oneself in match officiating,” he said.
ZIFA Manicaland chairman Kuziwa Nyabeze confirmed they allowed two match officials to handle matches in the league owing to financial burdens bedevilling clubs under their jurisdiction.
“Yes, it is true we agreed that we have no choice but to let the clubs have two match officials for their league matches. This has been a result of clubs failing to meet the costs of paying match officials.
“We are coming from an era where Division Two was as good as dead. Remember only last year we were left with five teams in the Mutare Division Two League as most teams opted to take part in less expensive social soccer leagues.
“Therefore, we are in the process of luring teams back to our professionally league but we just have to compromise so that it is a win-win situation,” said Nyabeze.
Online Reporter