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Eddie Chikamhi

Senior Sports Reporter

DOMESTIC football authorities have set new benchmarks for the resumption of local football with top-flight clubs that still fall short of the minimum CAF Club Licensing system set to be sidelined for the new season.

The ZIFA First Instance Body, who are the local licensing authority under the CAF and FIFA’s Club Licensing system, have warned the Premier Soccer League clubs to put their houses in order ahead of the anticipated return to action next month.

Domestic football is expected to resume in Zimbabwe after a one-year gap caused by the emergence of the coronavirus pandemic.

ZIFA Communications and Competitions Manager, Xolisani Gwesela, told The Herald that compliance with Club Licensing by national leagues has become a big issue with the Confederation of African Football hence the need to ensure domestic football moves abreast with the developments.

The return of football has been welcomed by the local football fraternity but there have been concerns about the state of the football pitches across the country which have deteriorated to unacceptable levels.

“We conducted a preliminary inspection of all stadiums in the country. We told the stadium authorities the areas that were supposed to be improved,” said Gwesela.

“In the coming weeks we will again visit those facilities and see the improvements that have been done. The First Instance Body, being responsible for Club Licensing, will then sit and make a determination on which stadia to be used,” said Gwesela.

Gwesela, who is also a member of the First Instance Body, said the clubs need to address the CAF Club Licensing system before the anticipated resumption. The concept was introduced in Zimbabwe about a decade ago but the top-flight clubs have been dragging their feet in implementation.

Among other things, the CAF Club Licensing system seeks to promote and improve the quality and the level of all football aspects in Africa; develop sporting infrastructure, improve the financial capacity of clubs through proper corporate governance and control.

Above all it seeks to enhance professionalism and ensuring that clubs have the appropriate knowledge and application in respect of management and organisation.

Last year CAF said that no club will be allowed to participate in inter-club competitions without meeting the minimum requirements. FC Platinum are the only local club that has been issued with the Club Licensing certificate.

“Don’t forget that, besides stadiums, we have the Club Licensing model which we are mandated as an association to adhere to and ensure that all the clubs that participate in the top-flight league adhere to the five criteria areas of Club Licensing.

“The first area being the sporting criteria. We will look and determine whether these clubs have a youth development plan, do they have youth sides, do they believe in youth development? We are going to verify all these things.

“The second criteria is the infrastructure area, the issue of the stadiums. Whether the stadia that they are going to use, are they approved stadiums? Do they meet the CAF requirements? Do they meet the FIFA requirements in terms of what is acceptable as a stadium?

“We are going to look at the financial criteria, whether these clubs have the financial capacity to participate in the league. Have they been conducting their audited financial statements? What are their financial concepts or the financial model of that particular club?

“We are also going to look at the legal criteria, whether those clubs adhere to legal provisions as set out by ZIFA? What is their structure like? What are their beliefs? What are their legal structures like?

“Then the last area we are going to look it is the administration and personnel criteria; whether these clubs have qualified personnel to run these clubs. Do they have offices? Do their coaches have acceptable CAF A coaching licenses? Do they have qualified doctors in their structures?.

“Do they have qualified physiotherapists? Do they have qualified media officers with degrees and acceptable diplomas? Do they have qualified accountants or finance personnel who have gone through university or acceptable diploma qualification.

“These are the five criteria areas that we are going to look at and the procedure is, the clubs should be licensed. So it is the obligation of ZIFA and the First Instance Body to ensure that all clubs that participate in the top-flight league are licensed before they are allowed to do so. Without these licenses, clubs do not qualify to participate in the Premier Soccer League,” said Gwesela.

Gwesela said ZIFA are keen to see the return of football in a professional manner and have been working hand in hand with the PSL for the safe resumption following the devastating blow caused by the coronavirus pandemic last year.

The PSL have since drawn up a 12-page proposal, which was adopted by the elite clubs.

Teams will be placed in groups and participate in the competition to be hosted by four cities — provisionally, Harare, Bulawayo, Mutare and Zvishavane.

The move to reduce the number of cities and venues to be used was influenced by the need to cut down on the travelling between cities and towns and also to reduce expenses.

The matches will initially be played behind closed doors and the PSL are working round the clock to find a broadcast deal.

Testing will be done on a regular basis as prescribed in the Covid-19 protocols and the participants and officials would also be encouraged to follow all health protocols and guidelines.