adminSikhumbuzo Moyo Senior Sports Reporter
A MINISTRY of Sports and Recreation official Daniel Kuwengwa says voting for the annual Soccer Star of the Year has been kept a secret to protect panellists. There have been increasing calls for the ballots to be made public to limit cheating following claims that some panellists vote for their favourite but undeserving players.
Ballots for the most prestigious football award, the Fifa-run Ballon d’Or, are made public and posted on the Fifa website. During this year’s Soccer Stars’ selection process, one panellist allegedly voted for seven Caps United players, but only one, Stephen Makatuka, who was clearly the most outstanding Makepekepe player, made it into the top 11 list.
Kuwengwa said there have been discussions involving the Premier Soccer League and the sponsors to make the ballots public.
“It’s a process really, but I think next year we might see a different approach. It’s reasonable that the ballots be made public, but it’s also a way of protecting you guys (panellists) because some choices could be a cause for public outcry,” said Kuwengwa.
He said he was confident that next year the ballots would be made public to instil confidence in the system and promote professionalism.
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