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ZIFA blocks PSL bid to suspend relegation
30 mins ago |
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The Zimbabwe Football Association (ZIFA) has rejected the Premier Soccer League's (PSL) surprise decision to suspend relegation for the ongoing season, insisting the move is both improper and unenforceable. The PSL had resolved at an Extraordinary General Meeting on Tuesday that no team would be relegated in 2025, a decision that would have seen all eight bottom-placed clubs survive while four regional champions earned promotion, expanding the league to 22 teams.
The move came despite ZIFA's earlier recommendation for a 20-team league structure. But in a strongly worded statement, the association said the PSL had acted outside proper procedure and stressed that the relegation rules already in place cannot be changed at the tail end of the campaign.
"The Association wishes to make it unequivocally clear that this proposal cannot be implemented. Promotion and relegation are fundamental components of football competition and are essential to maintaining the integrity, fairness, and sporting merit of the league system," ZIFA said.
The governing body confirmed that four clubs will indeed be relegated at the conclusion of the 2025 Castle Lager Premier Soccer League season, which officially ends on 23 November. This maintains the traditional framework of Zimbabwe's football pyramid, where seasonal performance determines movement between divisions.
ZIFA also issued a reminder to the PSL and its clubs that any proposed adjustments to league structures must follow laid-down statutes. Changes such as enlarging the league require formal submission to the association, after which the proposal would be placed before the ZIFA Congress for proper consideration.
"Should the Premier Soccer League or any other member wish to propose an adjustment to the number of participating teams or propose any other resolution, such a request must be formally submitted to the Association," the statement said.
With the season drawing to a close and relegation battles reaching their final stretch, ZIFA's intervention effectively shuts the door on any last-minute structural changes, keeping the traditional promotion and relegation system intact.
The move came despite ZIFA's earlier recommendation for a 20-team league structure. But in a strongly worded statement, the association said the PSL had acted outside proper procedure and stressed that the relegation rules already in place cannot be changed at the tail end of the campaign.
"The Association wishes to make it unequivocally clear that this proposal cannot be implemented. Promotion and relegation are fundamental components of football competition and are essential to maintaining the integrity, fairness, and sporting merit of the league system," ZIFA said.
The governing body confirmed that four clubs will indeed be relegated at the conclusion of the 2025 Castle Lager Premier Soccer League season, which officially ends on 23 November. This maintains the traditional framework of Zimbabwe's football pyramid, where seasonal performance determines movement between divisions.
ZIFA also issued a reminder to the PSL and its clubs that any proposed adjustments to league structures must follow laid-down statutes. Changes such as enlarging the league require formal submission to the association, after which the proposal would be placed before the ZIFA Congress for proper consideration.
"Should the Premier Soccer League or any other member wish to propose an adjustment to the number of participating teams or propose any other resolution, such a request must be formally submitted to the Association," the statement said.
With the season drawing to a close and relegation battles reaching their final stretch, ZIFA's intervention effectively shuts the door on any last-minute structural changes, keeping the traditional promotion and relegation system intact.
Source - NewZimbabwe
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