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The Basketball Union of Zimbabwe is viewing Takawira’s league as a social league after they failed to follow instructions from the sports mother body.
Players from this league are also not recognised for the national teams as they are seen as rebels in the eyes of BUZ and the Sports Commission.
It all started in May 2009 when the then outgoing executive committee, led by Takawira, conducted elections on the basis that their term of office had expired but the Basketball Union of Zimbabwe was against the idea of holding the elections.
According to the BUZ, the HBA executive was supposed to conduct the elections only after they had finished redrafting their constitution to align it with the new BUZ constitution.
But the provincial executive were defiant and went against the BUZ directive, holding elections in May 2009 to come up with a new executive led by Takawira as the chairman.
However, BUZ indicated that they would not recognise the Takawira-led board and in July the same year BUZ conducted another election giving birth to the current leadership headed by Gilchrist Mageza.
Takawira and a number of clubs rebelled against the establishment and formed their own league. But six of the 17 teams that rebelled have since joined Mageza’s league and will be in action this weekend having been fixtured on this weekend’s programme. Three men’s and three women’s teams — Varsity Leopards and their women’s side, Cavaliers, Lakers, Hellas and Real Returners — have returned to the mainstream league. This means that Takawira’s league virtually does not have a women’s league after Varsity, Real Returners and Hellas left while Mavericks are now defunct. Only UZ Stars remain. HBA competitions directorTendai “T Buns” Zhakata said they were welcoming back the teams.
“They realised they were playing in the social league and with the social league you will just be playing for the fun of it and that is why they came back to the recognised league.
“We welcomed them back because we are for the development of the game and we are not selective . . . any team that is interested to join our league just has to go through the usual procedures like everyone else,” said Zhakata. Takawira is now left with seven men’s league teams — Cameo Sigauke, Pross, Nets, Drifters, R.C Feathers, UZ Stars and Chitungwiza Lions.
Meanwhile, it will be action as usual in the HBA league with games at Richwood Park today.
In the men’s league Varsity take on Nuggets in the main game of the day, a match that will be curtain raised by Gentlemen’s Association’s battle against Stormers.
Weekend Fixtures
Men’s League: JBC v Assassins, Gentleman’s Association v Stormers, Varsity v Nuggets, Raiders v Jammers, Pistons v Hustlers, Harare v Hawks.
B-League: Snipers v Black Rhinos, Lakers v Stormers, Black Rhinos v Trinity.
Women: JBC v Assassins, Raiders v Real Returners, Pistons v Hustlers, Hellas v Hawks.
Online Reporter