SRC supports reg of new league

THE recently formed Rainbow Amateur Netball League (RNL)’s push for autonomy received a huge boost yesterday when the Sports and Recreation Commission (SRC) ordered the Zimbabwe Netball Association (Zina) to amend its constitution to accommodate a separate league management committee that will be accountable to Zina.

The order is set to be received with joy by netball clubs across the country, which had made it clear that they no longer wanted to fall under Zina, as they felt the funded RNL had brought in a new dimension to the game.

RNL is funded to the tune of $250 000 by Glow Petroleum, whose owner and managing director Aaron Chinhara also promised to double the package to $500 000 if the RNL shows professionalism in running the sport.

In a statement yesterday, the SRC said registration of RNL by Zina must be expedited and programmes that RNL had already set in motion must continue undisturbed.

Zina had continuously refused to recognise RNL and threatened clubs with unspecified action for showing allegiance to the new association.

The impasse resulted in the SRC convening a meeting aimed at enabling the two organisations to find common ground.

“Following the SRC’s separate meetings with the Zina and RNL yesterday (Monday), it was agreed that Zina was going to amend its constitution and bylaws so that they accommodate the registration of the leagues, which will have a separate league management committee that will be accountable to Zina, and as the custodians of netball in the country, Zina will supervise all the leagues under its purview.

It was also agreed that RNL has to apply to Zina for registration in line with the established Zina procedures and copy the SRC,” said the SRC yesterday.

It said the RNL will in the meantime stop using its name and confine its activities to community level until it’s formal registration.

“However, it is the view of the SRC that the registration of RNL will not take an inordinate amount of time. It is therefore incumbent upon Zina to ensure that the process of registering RNL is expedited. We must also bring to the attention of the public that once the Zina constitution is amended, the amendments have to be registered by the SRC board in terms of the SRC Act.

“It is hoped that the above action will bring sanity in the running of netball in the country, but we must also make it overt that Zina remains registered with the SRC and that position has not changed,” the SRC said.