adminThe move by Zifa comes after four relegated teams — Zimbabwe Saints, Kiglon, Masvingo and Shooting Stars — last week wrote a petition to Zifa challenging their relegation on grounds of the ongoing investigations of corruption charges being levelled against referees.
The four teams argued that if Zifa had the audacity to bring in foreign referees for the Mbada Diamonds Cup semi-finals and finals, it meant that they actually believed that there were serious shortcomings on the part of local referees and some matches could have been decided on the basis of monetary strength.
Sources close to Zifa revealed to this publication that the soccer mother body now wants to have 20 teams in the league, meaning the four clubs will not be relegated but instead the four promoted teams from the four Division One leagues will be added to the top flight league.
“The issue is actually on the agenda of the Wednesday special board meeting called by Zifa to discuss the petition. It looks like Shooting Stars somehow managed to convince Zifa president Cuthbert Dube to have it on the agenda,” said a source, who declined to be named for fear of victimisation.
The proposal to increase the number of teams is contrary to calls by some senior Zifa officials, with the support of Fifa, to reduce the number of teams in the Premiership from 16 to 12.
Premier Soccer League chief executive officer Kennedy Ndebele said in as far as the league was concerned, four teams have been relegated and that was the position.
“I would not want to comment on Zifa issues but from our side as PSL, Zimbabwe Saints, Kiglon, Masvingo United and Shooting Stars have been relegated and that is that,” said Ndebele.
Bunjiwe Mkwananzi