adminMehluli Sibanda Senior Sports Reporter
FORMER Premier Soccer League side Masvingo United have been handed a provisional two-year suspension by the Zimbabwe Football Association Eastern Region Division One for taking football matters to the courts of law.
Simba Wisdom, the Zifa Eastern Region secretary-general confirmed that they had handed down the harsh move on Masvingo United which will be taken for approval by the regional council at an extraordinary congress.
The move arose after Yuna Yuna went to court to contest the move to crown Mutare City Rovers champions for the Eastern Region.
The reasons for that contest were that former Dynamos as well as Njube Sundowns striker Dylan Chivandire was not registered as a Mutare City Rovers player and the champions also used Tafadzwa Mukahera who in fact belonged to Masvingo United.
“Masvingo United have been provisionally suspended for two years awaiting ratification of the council ordinary or an extraordinary congress. I am sure we will have an EGM mid-year. Masvingo United took football matters to the ordinary courts of law, which was in clear violation of article 60.1 of the Zifa constitution, they should have appealed through the Zifa structures which should be followed and respected. The decision to suspend them was made on the 6th of March, they won’t be allowed to participate unless the congress feels otherwise but that would be mid-year,’’ said Wisdom.
He pointed out that they might decide to lift the ban in terms of Article 14.1 on condition that Masvingo United meet the conditions set for them that they reimburse the region $500 paid as the costs of the suit.
Masvingo United obtained an interdict last year from Masvingo Magistrate Court which barred the Eastern Region from confirming Mutare City Rovers as the team that won the right to proceed to the Castle Lager Premier Soccer League. Eastern Region, however, informed the court that they do not have jurisdiction to preside over football matters as the issues are neither criminal nor civil cases.
Mutare City Rovers were eventually confirmed as the Eastern Region champions two weeks ago which must have affected their preparations for the PSL. Meanwhile, the 18 -team Eastern Region Division One league is scheduled to kick off on 9 April, a week after the Castle Lager Premier Soccer League gets underway.
Online Reporter