ZIFA NC closes door on Tenax
THE ZIFA Normalisation Committee has stood by its regional body— the Eastern Region Soccer League — in awarding Bikita Minerals promotion into the Premier Soccer League ahead of Tenax FC, saying “whatever happened was above board”.
The disgruntled Zimbabwe Prisons and Correctional Services outfit, Tenax FC, had this week approached the ZIFA Normalisation Committee for assistance to have their case referred to the Arbitration Court.
In a letter addressed to the ZIFA Normalisation Committee’s chief executive, Yvone Manwa,Tenax FC sought the interim football body’s assistance in having its case referred to an Arbitration Court.
“Having considered the time that has elapsed without a settlement to our request for the amendment of Tenax FC’s stripping of its championship in the Eastern Region Soccer League, we are therefore humbly requesting your good office to refer our matter to the Arbitration Court for finality. We further request that you furnish us with all the necessary requirements for our matter to see the light of the day at the Arbitration Court,” reads the letter signed by Tenax FC chairperson, Stefani Masina, which was also copied to ZIFA Normalisation Committee chairperson, Lincoln Mutasa, Sports and Recreation Commission director general, ZPCS Commissioner General, ZPCS Deputy Commissioner General (Administration) and ZPCS Director General (Legal Affairs).
However, ZIFA Normalisation Committee member, Sikhumbuzo Ndebele told Post Sport in a telephone interview on Wednesday that no one can appeal against league guidelines at the end of the season that were agreed upon at the start of the season.
The former Highlanders defender, said the Eastern Region Soccer League followed the guidelines that were signed by the affiliates at the start of the season.
“An official ending to this saga will be announced by the region itself. We cannot comment on a judgement by a lower organ which is legally correct. They followed the guidelines that were signed by the affiliates at the start of the season. Whatever happened in the way Eastern Region handled that case was above board.
“No one can appeal against those guidelines at the end of the season. The good part about that case is that the guidelines were agreed upon at the start of the season. The complainants in this case have to have material evidence, not emotions. The Eastern Region was very correct and there is nothing amiss,” said Ndebele.
Tenax FC’s appeal to have the matter referred to the Arbitration Court was just academic, given that the Arbitration Court does not exist in the country’s football administration set-up.
Such is the lack of adequate functional administrative bodies that can provide respite and recourse in disputes in local football that aggrieved parties can hardly be heard outside the normal ZIFA administration circles.
Seven years ago, Premiership clubs had to take their dispute with ZIFA over relegation to the Court of Arbitration for Sport, with the elite league filing their appeal with the Switzerland-based body.
Relations between ZIFA and their flagship affiliate broke down back then following the move by the association’s congress to reverse a decision to demote two teams from the Premiership and promote as many sides from the regional Division One leagues via the promotional play-offs.
ZIFA were adamant that four teams must be demoted at the end of the PSL season and wanted the regional Division One champions to gain automatic promotion, while the top-flight resisted the stance, insisting that a ZIFA Assembly resolution was constitutionally flawed.
Nonetheless, the Swiss-based body route will be expensive for poor Tenax FC, given that around US$2 500 is needed just to apply to have the case heard and also on condition that the club has exhausted all domestic avenues before all other related costs of having their case heard at that level.