Tripple B issue warning

closed.
Zifa chief executive, Jonathan Mashingaidze, also told our Bulawayo Bureau on Sunday that the association will not be tempted to declare any winner from Central Region until all the outstanding issues have been resolved.

Tripple B are locked in a furious battle, for a place in the Castle Lager Premiership, with the Gweru-based Hardbody who won a huge boardroom battle when the Zifa Appeals Committee awarded them the 42 points that had been deducted from their tally.
The Beitbridge side have since appealed against that decision to credit Hardbody with the 42 points.
But, crucially, the Beitbridge minnows have warned that there are more issues, beyond the eligibility of Tatenda Chngarah to play for the Gweru side, which need to be addressed.

Tripple B sponsor, Edward Kanyangu, said the issue of Hardbody director, Takesure Sibanda’s conviction for match-fixing, in which he paid a fine, and its possible beneficial effects to the team’s championship challenge, will have be addressed before the Gweru side can be declared champions.
“How can Hardbody be announced as winners of the CSL (Central Soccer League)?” queried Kanyangu, in a statement.

“They were supposed to be told that they have been given back their 42 points but their promotion still hangs in the air as they still have a mountain to climb.
“The mountain they are yet to climb is Zifa (being) silent about the conviction of Takesure Sibanda, the Hardbody director, about match-fixing with Cosmas Nyoni.
“This matter on its own advantaged Hardbody to gain undeserved points in some certain games and the team should be punished for their (director’s) deeds.

“They can be confirmed true champions after the investigating team has released results and, from Zifa, we need the verdict as soon as possible.
“Be advised again that this is just the beginning of war that will reveal what football is all about in this country.
“What happened to the investigations Mr (Ndumiso) Gumede and team were doing? What happened to the investigations Mr Brighton Mudzamiri and company were carrying out when they called us to come to Bulawayo?

“We need answers to all this.”
The Zifa Appeals Committee, which credited Hardbody with 42 points on their tally, onceded that their ruling does not bring the dispute to a close should any aggrieved party choose to appeal.
The secretary of the Zifa Appeals Committee, Timothy Sangarwe, said there was still an avenue for an aggrieved party to take their case to the Sport Arbitration Centre.

“Any party not happy with the verdict have the right to appeal to the Sport Arbitration Centre within seven days of receiving the verdict,” said Sangarwe.
Hardbody had to suspend their celebrations for winning Zifa Central Region Division One championship after being docked 42 points for allegedly using an improperly registered player, Chingarah.
Hardbody finished top of the log standings but had maximum points from 14 matches forfeited by the Zifa Central Region for the alleged offence.

But the Zifa Appeals Committee, led by chairperson Tererai Gunje, sitting with Sangwarwe and P. Mabhundu, restored the 42 points in the judgment released on Monday last week.
Mashingaidze told our Bulawayo Bureau that once Tripple B’s appeal was noted, they will wait for the Arbitration Court to make a ruling before they announce the team that will move into the

Premiership from the Central Region.
“I have been hearing that Tripple B is appealing and once we get their appeal noted, then the matter will go to the Arbitration Centre for final ruling,” said Mashingaidze.

“This means that, as Zifa, we cannot declare champions for the Central Soccer league until the matter is finalised.
“As you are aware, there is no Arbitration Court for Sports and the matters will be heard before Commercial Arbitration.

“We will have to hear from them on when they can assemble a team to hear the matter and also their fees. What I know is that appealing, at this stage, won’t come cheap.
“Yes, the PSL’s preparations for the coming season might be put into disarray a little bit but we hope this issue will be speedily dealt with.”