Chiyangwa purges Bosso linked executives from Zifa

THE Premier Soccer League was last night plunged into a leadership crisis following ZIFA's move to suspend the top-flight body's chairman Peter Dube as the relegation- promotion dispute between the mother body and the elite league took an ugly turn.

ZIFA also slapped a ban on Highlanders chief executive Ndumiso Gumede for allegedly rebelling against the executive committee and trying to have the board dissolved.

Veteran administrator Gumede who in his long spell in the administrative corridors of the domestic game has served as ZIFA secretary-general and vice president has been purged for his alleged role in a bid by some disgruntled members to try and overturn the current board.

Dube, who succeeded Twine Phiri at the helm of the PSL is also the Highlanders chairman.

But the PSL and Bosso leader became the first casualty of the madness that has characterised the relegation saga that remains unresolved to date with uncertainty hovering over the number of teams that will be demoted at the end of this season

The suspensions are with immediate effect.

ZIFA president Philip Chiyangwa in announcing the suspensions said a statement last night that both Dube and Gumede had separately violated section of the ZIFA constitution through alleged acts of misconduct.

The fall out between ZIFA and the PSL has been simmering since the October 29 association's annual meeting in Harare where the councillors made a U-turn and resolved that four teams instead of two would be relegated from the Premiership at the end of the 2016 season.

ZIFA and the PSL had last year resolved that only two teams would go down from the top-flight at the end of the season with the winners of the respective regional Division One Leagues having to secure promotion via play-offs.

But some differences arose between the association and its flagship affiliate and as matters came to a head during that heated assembly meeting, Dube as the head of the PSL fought in the corner of his member clubs.

So heated was the debate on the relegation and promotion that the matter had t be decided by a vote with the regions prevailing over the 16 clubs.

There are fears that the row between ZIFA and the PSL could have serious ramifications on the national game.