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Ray Bande
Senior Reporter
FOOTBALL administration has been the game’s weakest point since the country’s political independence, no wonder the confusion, alleged regionalism and corruption that has always been synonymous with the management of the game once again coming to the fore this week after the suspension of the top-flight league matches, of all the possible reasons, due to stadia renovations.
The suspension of action in PSL comes against the background of acute shortage of ‘acceptable’ match venues in the country that meet the required minimum standards.
The shortage of match venues is a product of local football administration’s unconditional adoption of the FIFA Club Licencing System.
The Club Licencing System is a key element in promoting the professionalisation of football across the world.
The system uses principles-based criteria and sets minimum standards that clubs must satisfy in order to be licenced and consequently be able to participate in a given competition.
This concept was adopted hook, line and sinker by the country’s football authorities who then went on a rampage banning different stadia in different cities and towns across the country at will, purporting that such stadia do not meet the requisite minimum standards.
Even when it is crystal clear that the country does not have match venues of world class standards, the football authorities still found it prudent to ban some match venues that were hosting top-flight league football since independence and could still play host to Premiership matches.
Thus a notice to suspend Premier Soccer League action, circulated on Wednesday afternoon, read: “Temporary suspension of Castle Lager PSL matches:This serves to advise that the Castle Lager Premier League is taking a break with immediate effect and will resume on the 1st of July, 2023.
“This has been necessitated by the maintenance work on water reticulation being carried out at the National Sports Stadium and to allow the playing field to regenerate. We also expect refurbishment works at Rufaro, Nyamhunga and Sakubva stadia to be completed before we resume Castle Lager PSL matches.”
The statement from PSL ignited fierce debate and scorn on the part of the league authorities as it smacks on selective
application of regulations governing the game.
For example, when Sakubva Stadium in Mutare, Bata Stadium in Gweru and Nyamhunga Stadium in Kariba were banned from hosting Premiership football, clubs that use those match venues and their home grounds — Manica Diamonds FC, ZPC Kariba and Shesham FC — were instructed to find alternative home grounds.
Now that the National Sports Stadium is clearly being overused and failing to meet the so-called requisite standards, the teams that are using the facility have not been told to find alternative venues, instead, league action is suspended.
Staunch Liverpool fan, Aaron Chemvura said: “Why suspend the league? They should order those teams based in Harare to travel to Gibo, Mandava and Ngezi to fulfill their fixtures.
“Only recently they were forcing Shesham FC to travel to Mandava to fulfill their home games. This is clearly a case of double standards. It makes us believe that they want to protect the financial wellbeing of Premier Soccer League chairman, Farai Jere’s CAPS and DeMbare.”
Mutare player manager, Donald ‘Azurie’ Manhende said: “This is shocking to be polite. We thought it is now a norm that all clubs using stadia deemed not fit to host Premiership matches are instructed to find alternative venues.
“It is now clear that we have regulations for clubs based in Mutare, Gweru, Kariba and elsewhere as well as a special set of rules for clubs based in Harare and Bulawayo.”
Paul Sigauke, a local football fan said: “We have always known that the football administrators in our midst are not professional at all in their approach to issues. Manica Diamonds have been travelling week-in week-out for their matches because Sakubva Stadium is deemed unfit to host Premiership matches.
“So what is special about those clubs that are using the National Sports Stadium that they cannot be told to find alternative venues for their matches if the stadium is no longer fit to host matches?”
Steven Checha, another local football fan also said: “The suspension of matches is a clear gesture of acceptance that we do not have match venues that meet the requisite standards.
Therefore, why were they banning some stadia when they knew we do not have stadia that meet the standards. After all, we are under FIFA suspension as a country, so who do we want to impress by banning stadia like Sakubva Stadium?
“The banning of stadia itself is selective. Surely, who can stand in broad daylight and say Colliery Stadium in Hwange in its state today is better than Sakubva Stadium? We know the individuals who influence these decisions and where they come from.”
Common sense was clear that the National Sports Stadium in a not so distant future would suffer from overuse as the venue is home to eight teams, almost half the number of teams in the 18-team league.
Since the start of the season, the ground has hosted not less than three games per week on average due to the jam caused by the inadequate facilities.
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