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Dumisani Nsingo, Senior Reporter
ZIFA Southern Region Division One League outfit Talen Vision have filed their response to the bribery allegations levelled against them to the country’s football mother body.
Talen Vision president Khumbulani Nkomo said the club filed the response to Zifa last Monday and were waiting for an update on the case.
“We filed our response to Zifa on Monday and we are waiting for an update from them upon the completion of their investigations. We wait to hear their findings but as a club we still maintain our position that the bribery issue had nothing to do with us,” he said.
It was reported that Talen Vision used former Railstars player, Mtewa Masiku, to entice ZPC Hwange players with US$100 for them to perform less well than expected when the two teams met in the coal mining town two weeks ago. The players are then said to have informed management and a set-up was allegedly arranged for Masiku.
Nkomo said the influence or involvement of a third force in the scam cannot be ruled out.
“We pray that the decision to be reached by Zifa will be for the benefit of the game. We want tangible proof that the so-called US$100 came from us because this issue remains nothing but a fuss to smear the club’s image,” he said.
Nkomo said the club had already done its own investigations and found no wrong doing among its technical department.
“As a professionally run club we instituted our own investigations and we didn’t find anything wrong pointing to any form of involvement by any of our technical team individuals. In the event we find anyone liable to an offence remedial action will be taken,” he said.
Nkomo said being involved in such allegations was against the club’s ethos.
“Like we have always reiterated we are into football to solely develop and nurture talent. Our goal is to produce future stars and imagine what lesson will we be teaching them if we show them that matches are also won the unorthodox way. We teach them to fight and win matches on the field of play and through fair play,” he said.
Nkomo said the club has also conducted a number of workshops to impart their players with the requisite knowledge on lifetime skills.
“We have conducted a number of workshops to prepare our players after retiring from the game. Our wish is to ensure that whoever passes through this great institution doesn’t wallow in poverty because it will reflect back on us somehow,” he said.
@DNsingo
Online Reporter