Sports / Local
Zifa opposes Bantu Rovers' expulsion
18 Apr 2013 at 05:00hrs | Views
THE Zimbabwe Football Association has said it is improper for the Bulawayo Metropolitan Province Junior League to suspend Bantu Rovers and warned them that if they do not reverse their decision they face censure.
Clubs in the Bulawayo Metropolitan Province Junior League banned Bantu Rovers from the developmental league after accusing Methembe Ndlovu's project of going behind other teams' backs to persuade players to join them.
The players that Bantu Rovers are said to have enticed are under the ages of 18 and according to Fifa rules and regulations on player movements, which national football associations use, any player under that age can spend only a year at a club and move after that.
The clubs in the Bulawayo Metropolitan Province Junior League ignored the rules and regulations on player movements and ganged to bar Bantu Rovers and fight Highlanders' Dumaza Dube in the process infringing on junior players' rights to move to clubs of their choice.
It is alleged that during one of the Bulawayo Metropolitan Province Junior League meetings meant to bring closure to clubs refusing for Bantu Rovers to play in their league an unnamed club representative said Zifa did not have jurisdiction over them.
Flanked by his deputy Ndumiso Gumede and Benedict Moyo Zifa board member competitions, the Zifa president Cuthbert Dube warned individuals in the Bulawayo Metropolitan Province and their national body the Zimbabwe Junior League that Zifa would descend on them if they do not adhere to rules and regulations.
"Let me hasten to say that the Zimbabwe Junior League is an affiliate of Zifa and we are moving in an aggressive manner to make sure that there is law and order at all these affiliates. We will not allow little gods in football, bent on denigrating our football.
"Let this be a warning to all those in affiliates who think they are above Zifa. They must know that it is easy to be suspended and banned from football if they do not adhere to statutes. They will be made accountable for reckless decisions and statements which they make," said Dube.
Moyo who is also in charge of the development portfolio on the Zifa board said clubs did not have a mandate to bar Bantu Rovers from participating in the league.
"We gave them (Bulawayo Metropolitan Province Junior League) a deadline to sort the mess and if that period lapses we are going to intervene. Those clubs cannot suspend Bantu Rovers from the league because that club has not done anything wrong.
"However, from what we learnt, we are keeping close tabs on allegations of unfair enticing of players by Bantu Rovers. We also realised that some of the administrators do not understand the rules and regulations and therefore as Zifa we are in the process of organising a strategic workshop where we will educate administrators on such issues," said Moyo.
The delay in coming with the outcome is likely to affect Bantu Rovers, one of the few clubs in the country that is involved in junior development.
Most young players have always wanted to play for bigger clubs like Highlanders, Dynamos, Bantu Rovers and Chicken Inn among other teams because of opportunities that may arise from getting associated with these institutions.
Moyo said clubs must not be afraid to let the youngsters move and develop as they stand to benefit once their players sign professional contracts.
"With the new central registration system, it becomes easy to follow players. Club officials must know that they stand to benefit more in future once the player they developed signs a professional contract. With the new system, it won't be difficult to see which clubs benefit from the player," said Moyo.
The Bulawayo Metropolitan Province Junior League secretary Faith Dube remained resolute that Bantu Rovers is banned.
He revealed that Bantu Rovers had agreed to let the players return to their previous teams but the boys have refused to play for their former clubs.
"A committee has been set to look into Bantu Rovers' matter and once they are done the club will know its fate. Zifa came here and told us to sort the issue and this is what exactly the clubs are doing. There is a great danger of teams refusing to play Bantu Rovers if Zifa imposes a decision.
"The committee we set is also investigating how genuine the boys involved in all this wrangle have declined to play football after Bantu Rovers released them back to their teams. Clubs want to be certain that the players were not coerced to threaten to leave football if they are not allowed to join teams of their choice," he said.
Zifa is the supreme soccer body in the country.
Clubs in the Bulawayo Metropolitan Province Junior League banned Bantu Rovers from the developmental league after accusing Methembe Ndlovu's project of going behind other teams' backs to persuade players to join them.
The players that Bantu Rovers are said to have enticed are under the ages of 18 and according to Fifa rules and regulations on player movements, which national football associations use, any player under that age can spend only a year at a club and move after that.
The clubs in the Bulawayo Metropolitan Province Junior League ignored the rules and regulations on player movements and ganged to bar Bantu Rovers and fight Highlanders' Dumaza Dube in the process infringing on junior players' rights to move to clubs of their choice.
It is alleged that during one of the Bulawayo Metropolitan Province Junior League meetings meant to bring closure to clubs refusing for Bantu Rovers to play in their league an unnamed club representative said Zifa did not have jurisdiction over them.
Flanked by his deputy Ndumiso Gumede and Benedict Moyo Zifa board member competitions, the Zifa president Cuthbert Dube warned individuals in the Bulawayo Metropolitan Province and their national body the Zimbabwe Junior League that Zifa would descend on them if they do not adhere to rules and regulations.
"Let me hasten to say that the Zimbabwe Junior League is an affiliate of Zifa and we are moving in an aggressive manner to make sure that there is law and order at all these affiliates. We will not allow little gods in football, bent on denigrating our football.
"Let this be a warning to all those in affiliates who think they are above Zifa. They must know that it is easy to be suspended and banned from football if they do not adhere to statutes. They will be made accountable for reckless decisions and statements which they make," said Dube.
Moyo who is also in charge of the development portfolio on the Zifa board said clubs did not have a mandate to bar Bantu Rovers from participating in the league.
"We gave them (Bulawayo Metropolitan Province Junior League) a deadline to sort the mess and if that period lapses we are going to intervene. Those clubs cannot suspend Bantu Rovers from the league because that club has not done anything wrong.
"However, from what we learnt, we are keeping close tabs on allegations of unfair enticing of players by Bantu Rovers. We also realised that some of the administrators do not understand the rules and regulations and therefore as Zifa we are in the process of organising a strategic workshop where we will educate administrators on such issues," said Moyo.
The delay in coming with the outcome is likely to affect Bantu Rovers, one of the few clubs in the country that is involved in junior development.
Most young players have always wanted to play for bigger clubs like Highlanders, Dynamos, Bantu Rovers and Chicken Inn among other teams because of opportunities that may arise from getting associated with these institutions.
Moyo said clubs must not be afraid to let the youngsters move and develop as they stand to benefit once their players sign professional contracts.
"With the new central registration system, it becomes easy to follow players. Club officials must know that they stand to benefit more in future once the player they developed signs a professional contract. With the new system, it won't be difficult to see which clubs benefit from the player," said Moyo.
The Bulawayo Metropolitan Province Junior League secretary Faith Dube remained resolute that Bantu Rovers is banned.
He revealed that Bantu Rovers had agreed to let the players return to their previous teams but the boys have refused to play for their former clubs.
"A committee has been set to look into Bantu Rovers' matter and once they are done the club will know its fate. Zifa came here and told us to sort the issue and this is what exactly the clubs are doing. There is a great danger of teams refusing to play Bantu Rovers if Zifa imposes a decision.
"The committee we set is also investigating how genuine the boys involved in all this wrangle have declined to play football after Bantu Rovers released them back to their teams. Clubs want to be certain that the players were not coerced to threaten to leave football if they are not allowed to join teams of their choice," he said.
Zifa is the supreme soccer body in the country.
Source - TC
