Zim soccer players to be tested for drugs

The Premier Soccer League plans to introduce drug testing to avoid footballers from taking performance enhancing drugs and giving clubs an unfair advantage.

This has been revealed by Premier Soccer League chairman Twine Phiri who says the drug testing is to ensure that all clubs have an equal platform to compete as well as to safeguard the players from physical health abuse.

Although there have not been any suspected cases of drug taking, Phiri says it does not mean there are not any.

The PSL supremo says the testing is in line with other professional leagues adding that although Zimbabwe does not have up to standard facilities they were going to use other cheaper and effective ways of carrying out the tests.

Zimbabwean players are only randomly tested when they play in the Caf Champions League or the Caf Confederation Cup.

The chairman of the Zimbabwe Olympic Committee medical commission, Nick Munyonga agreed with Phiri saying the drug control rooms at Rufaro Stadium were good enough to successfully conduct the drug tests as required by the PSL.

The City of Harare has already started refurbishments on the drug control rooms at Rufaro Stadium which have not been used for some time.

Rufaro Stadium and the National Sports Stadium are the only stadiums that have doping control rooms to test footballers and other sports persons from performance enhancing drugs.

Phiri said they have been informed that the control rooms at Rufaro Stadium will be ready soon for use by the top flight football league.

The City of Harare charges PSL clubs 20 percent of gross gate takings for the use of Rufaro Stadium.

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