Kenny Ndebele harbours personal grudges against Highlanders?

Zimbabwe Premier Soccer League (PSL) chief executive Kennedy Ndebele has reaffirmed the league's commitment to professionalism, transparency, and impartiality in managing the country's top-tier football, in the face of rising allegations of match-fixing and corruption.

Ndebele's statements come in the aftermath of a controversial and abandoned Chibuku Super Cup match between Bulawayo giants Highlanders and the emerging football power, Simba Bhora. The match descended into chaos after a contentious last-minute penalty was awarded to Simba Bhora, prompting outrage among fans and the eventual walk-off by Highlanders players.

The disputed penalty, awarded following an apparent foul outside the penalty box, sparked widespread condemnation, with replays supporting Highlanders' claim that the infringement occurred outside the area. Highlanders refused to play on, leading to the penalty going untaken. The match was later awarded to Simba Bhora, and Highlanders were fined US$6,000, further enraging their supporters.

In response, Highlanders fans staged a boycott during their team's subsequent PSL match against ZPC Kariba, which saw Bosso win 2-0 at Barbourfields Stadium. The boycott, organized as a protest against what supporters termed "match-fixing, corruption, and criminality" in Zimbabwean football, also served as a fundraising effort to cover the club's fine. Reports suggest the fans raised over US$6,000 during the boycott, with potential to double the figure.

Addressing the ongoing controversy, Ndebele distanced the PSL from allegations of referee bias and corruption, stressing that match officials fall under the jurisdiction of the Zimbabwe Football Association (Zifa), not the PSL. He emphasized that the PSL had raised concerns with Zifa over referees' conduct in the past when clubs had lodged formal complaints.

"These are very grave accusations," Ndebele said. "The appointment, management, discipline, training, and supervision of referees is under the jurisdiction of Zifa. The PSL has raised, in writing, concerns about the conduct of match officials when complaints have been forwarded by its clubs."

Ndebele also rejected accusations from some Highlanders fans that he harbored personal grudges against the club, calling such claims "baseless." He pointed out that the PSL operates as a collective of 18 elite clubs, whose board of governors make policy decisions, while the secretariat, headed by the CEO, implements those policies.

"The intimation that the CEO holds personal grudges is baseless," Ndebele stated. "The CEO acts in terms of the rules of the game, not personal whims. The constitution, rules, and regulations guide all PSL officials and stakeholders."

Ndebele reiterated that the PSL, while an affiliate of Zifa, operates as a semi-autonomous body responsible for managing the league's competitions and commercial rights. He underscored the league's adherence to its constitution and rules in all its activities.

As the debate over corruption and the integrity of match officiating rages on, the PSL and Zifa remain under pressure to address these concerns and restore confidence in the management of Zimbabwean football.