By Tendai Chisiri
Harare Premier Soccer League (HPSL) ZIFA division 2 , a third tier football league resolved this month at a tense 2021 Annual General Meeting(AGM) that matches will be played at neutral venues and players not vaccinated will not be allowed to kick football in the league
HPSL Chairman Robert Temvo giving the annual report said the league was going to resume after a 2 year hiatus due to Covid-19 pandemic induced lockdown .He pointed out that the league was going to follow the rules and regulations stipulated by Sports Recreation Commission (SRC).”—- in short, no club will use its home ground, the reason for this move came as a result of ensuring that no spectators will be allowed so as to ensure safety and complying to the Government’s directive”, he said during the meeting.
Whilst other clubs proposed the use of their home grounds which they said had tight security to bar fans from entering , Tembo argued that transparency lacked in most communities and having others playing at home will be a disadvantage to those not playing at home.” As the board, we have mechanism in place that all players and officials should be tested after every fortnight”, he added.This was to the chagrin of many who said that the process was expensive to clubs since the league has no sponsors for winners and runner- ups to pocket anything. Tembo reminded them that although sponsors were needed HPSL’s core business was development of football.
After some time of haggling, all the clubs agreed to use Raylton Sports Club ground and Harare Polytechnic grounds as their neutral venues and also to have players and officials tested before the matches at the venue in a fortnight.
The 2020 ZIFA HPSL Cup which was played and suspended due to Coronavirus when the games is an annual event and the season opener. The league Cup was in the last 16 and the last 16 teams will battle it out to win the Cup with a budget of US$ 3 000 for all expenses incurred including prizes for the winners.The league fixtures will commence after the league Cup.
The AGM was attended by almost the 40 teams representatives in the HPSL 2A and 2B. Moses Chunga, Chapungu head coach from the ZIFA Northern Region League , a second tier league was among the invited guests.
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