adminLast season the league threatened to relegate teams that owed them affiliation fees and now they are saying that even those that have not paid up disciplinary fees are in danger of not playing this season.
According to the Zifa Southern Region treasurer Tawanda Ruzive, clubs owe the association almost $7 000.
Three teams — Makokoba City Warriors, Power Cosmos and Kujatana Falls United — owe the league a total of $2 850.
The difference is for teams that were fined after disciplinary hearings.
Of the three, two have been relegated and Zifa will follow them down to the lower leagues.
Makokoba City Warriors who should be playing in the Zifa Bulawayo Metropolitan Province’s Division Two Soccer League have a debt of $1 200 with Victoria Falls’ Kujatana Falls United owing $1 500 and Power Cosmos $150.
“Clubs know and they are aware that if they owe they will not be registered. A precedent was set when Lengthens were not registered by the Zifa Northern Region Division One Soccer League because they owed the Premier Soccer League. Even those clubs that owe us will not be registered in those lower leagues because that money which they owe belongs to Zifa not us,” said Zifa Southern Region secretary Brian Moyo.
Kujatana Falls United has since disbanded which means that Zifa might as well write them off as a bad debt.
Moyo said it did not make sense for the league to relegate its fully paid up members.
“How do you relegate a full member because membership is about affiliation? Technically the idea was never to allow them (clubs owing) to play until they paid up but we did not want to disrupt the league. They have to clear their dues if they want to continue in football,” said Moyo.
Online Reporter