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Grace Chingoma Senior Sports Reporter

THE Premier Soccer League have asked for guarantees whether ZIFA will supply referees for the Chibuku Super Cup semi-finals this weekend.

The matches are set for Saturday and Sunday at the National Sports Stadium.

Surprise packages Cranborne Bullets are set to take on Ngezi Platinum on Saturday.

Dynamos are scheduled to then battle FC Platinum at the giant stadium,the following day.

The ousted ZIFA board barred referees from handling the league matches on Tuesday hours after they were thrown out of office by the Sports Commission.

The association have full control over the referees and Bryton Malandule, a member of the ousted ZIFA board, is in charge of the match officials.

The decision to bar referees from taking charge of the midweek league matches was taken by a tiny fraction of the ousted ZIFA board.

Only three people, including Malandule, were involved in the decision.

It has split the board, with other members of the sacked executive committee distancing themselves from the decision, and sharply criticising it.

It appears this has now pushed the hardliners to accept this was a wrong strategy, in their battle to try and confront the SRC, and they have accepted defeat.

This, therefore, means that, starting with the Chibuku Super Cup semi-finals, pencilled for the National Sports Stadium this weekend, match officials could be made available, to take charge, of the games.

The PSL, through their chief executive, Kenny Ndebele, have written to his ZIFA counterpart, demanding guarantees.

“We would like to express our disappointment and concern following the conduct of match officials who failed to turn up for the following Castle Lager Premier Soccer League in the Day Two fixtures scheduled for 16 November 2021:

• Cranborne Bullets FC vs Bulawayo Chiefs FC, Sakubva Stadium
• Highlanders FC vs Ngezi Platinum FC, Barbourfields Stadium
• Triangle United FC vs Dynamos FC, Gibbo Stadium
• Yadah FC vs ZPC Kariba FC, Baobab Stadium
• Herentals FC vs Black Rhinos FC, National Sports Stadium

“Please note that clubs incurred a lot of costs in preparation for the matches, including travelling costs, camping, Covid-19 tests, stadium hire fees, ZRP and security costs, medical doctors, ambulance fees, compliance officers and cashiers, among other costs.

“The PSL would like to find out if the Association will reimburse the clubs.

“Further, we are still waiting official communication from your office on what transpired.’’

The Sports Commission have already said the suspension of the association’s executive does not mean football has been suspended in the country.

But on Tuesday, ZIFA flexed their muscle and used referees as their pawns in this messy boardroom battle.

Yesterday, the ZIFA offices at 53 Livingstone were deserted, and only one lady, could be seen around the vicinity.

It is not clear why the employees, who are not part of the board and were not suspended, decided not to report for duty.

Sports Commission board member, Nigel Munyati, said football was bigger than ZIFA.

“Football is not going to suffer, football is going to continue because football is bigger than ZIFA.

“What this nation needs in terms of football is to continue playing.

“There will be a minor distraction but I would like to believe that there is sufficient capacity within us, and other interested stakeholders in football like sponsors themselves.

“We know we have to resolve (these things) over the next few days,” said Munyati.