-as Bikita complain against Grayham player
SPORTS REPORTER
MUTARE-It’s not over until it’s over, so goes the famous saying as the battle for promotion in the ZIFA Eastern Region Soccer League will now be decided in the boardroom.
This follows a complaint lodged by Bikita Minerals FC against their final matchday opponents, Grayham FC for allegedly using a Melfort FC player, board vice chairman, Wisdom Simba confirmed the news to The Midweek Watch.
In a letter written to the ZIFA ERSL board, Bikita Minerals FC allege that Grayham FC used Munyaradzi Machipisa’s ZIFA ID on Calvin Tinashe Chiwere, a Melfort FC player.
Bikita Minerals are praying for Grayham to be punished and the game be awarded to them for using an ineligible player.
Section 13.1 says, “If a player and or players are fielded in a match despite being ineligible, the team to which the player and or players belong will be sanctioned by forfeiting the match and paying the stipulated fine. The player and or players may also be sanctioned.
b. The points are awarded to the opposition if the player and or players are identified during inspection and the team insists that the player and or players are eligible”.
Before the match, Bikita captain, Hillary Jeke pointed out that the so called Machipisa was actually Chiwere and they once played together at Melfort. A picture of the referee, Willard Nyamande and the player in question was taken as evidence and this will be used during a hearing slated for this Saturday at Golden Peacock Hotel in Mutare.
The match commissioner for the Grayham vs Bikita game which was played at Chiremba Grounds was Fabion Ngorima.
Ngorima allowed the game to be played under protest and the matter would be dealt with by the board.
The game was also played before board members, Patient Dube and Mollen Makumbe.
Tenax were crowned ZIFA ERSL champions with 59 points followed by Bikita on 58 and FC Wangu Mazodze on third position had 57 points.
