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Lewis Uriri

Eddie Chikamhi Senior Sports Reporter—

THE Premier Soccer League Emergency Committee spokesperson Lewis Uriri yesterday dismissed the perception that the problems haunting Zimbabwe football emanated from a clash of personalities between himself and ZIFA president Philip Chiyangwa.Uriri made a brief presentation in Parliament, where he told legislators that the league was committed to seeing football being the winner in their fallout with ZIFA over relegation and promotion.

The issue has already been referred to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) by the PSL, although ZIFA say they will not abide by the outcome of that body’s decision.

The ZIFA Congress had wanted four teams relegated but that was cut down to two after a meeting held in the capital last Saturday.

But it is the contentious issue of how many teams should be promoted into the top-flight league that remains to be resolved.

The ZIFA and PSL leadership were summoned to Parliament yesterday to explain the state of the game.

But while PSL, who were represented by Uriri and their chief executive officer Kenny Ndebele, made a brief appearance and then requested for postponement, ZIFA officials did not pitch up as they had communicated they had “a tight schedule”.

Kenny Ndebele

The chairman of the Parliamentary Portfolio Committee on Education, Sports and Recreation Never Kanye said the committee was now likely to reconvene in January since Parliament will adjourn for the festive holidays.

Uriri had also written to Parliament, informing the legislators that besides getting the invitation on short notice, the PSL was incapacitated to appear in Parliament since they have no leadership.

According to their constitution, the league’s chairman Peter Dube was supposed to represent them in the committee but he is currently under suspension from ZIFA.

Uriri said according to Article 37 (1) of their constitution, “the chairman represents PSL legally and is responsible for, in terms of Article 37 (2) (d) “managing relations between PSL and its members, ZIFA, political bodies and other organisations”.

“The vice-chairman deputises in the event that the chairman is unavailable.

“(But) the PSL neither has a chairman nor vice-chairman. The PSL’s chairman is presently suspended. The office of the vice-chairman has been vacant for a while.

“The PSL, at its special congress on the 19th November 2016, resolved that as a matter of necessity, the Emergency Committee established by Article 33 will for now preside over PSL, pending the resolution of the matter relating to the chairmanship.

“The Emergency Committee consists of four members, two of whom are based outside Harare.

“It has not been possible, given the short notice, for the Emergency Committee to consult the PSL governors and thereafter meet to prepare for the presentation that you require. In addition, the spokesman of the Emergency Committee has a prior court commitment in the High Court.

“Critically, we are also of the view that a presentation before Parliament before the finalisation of certain ongoing legal and related processes may jeopardise the said processes,” said Uriri.

The CAPS United board chairman said PSL were clear on its position regarding the impasse with ZIFA.

Uriri, who recently criticised the ZIFA president after he was handed a brief suspension from football, said the challenges they were facing have nothing to do with personalities.

He revealed the PSL leadership were worried that their independence was under siege from ZIFA, who appear to have a bigger agenda to take over the running of the league.

“We have a board of governors that consists of people that have sufficient experience to know what they are doing. In fact we are the only affiliate with ZIFA that has been able to attract not just one or two but three sponsors presently.

“And the issue really has become one of a perception that without the PSL, the sponsors of the PSL may possibly sponsor ZIFA.

“You might wish to look at the article written by Farai Mungazi (a Zimbabwean who works for the BBC in London), which appeared in The Herald and The Chronicle that said liquidate the PSL in order that ZIFA may survive, but we do not think that is the way to go.

“We think there is enough fiscal space if people organise themselves properly to attract corporate involvement. And that’s to react directly to that suggestion, PSL is not disorganised.”

Uriri said they needed more time.

“But today we are simply unprepared because our constitutional structure has been unlawfully interfered with and we are working on regularising that position.

“And before we can have, for instance an acting chairperson, we have to go through an electoral process that is governed by the electoral code and we cannot start doing that before we know the fate of Peter Dube.

“Our structures have been rendered dysfunctional and we are really working on the basis of necessity. We will be happy to come back on an agreed date.

“I think what we will do is give you the position paper, a written statement of where we are and perhaps once you appreciate the matter from a position of information, this attack and siege on the PSL as I perceived this morning may be revisited and a different position be taken and you may realise that, in fact, we are the victims,” said Uriri.