Sports reporter
Truant ZIFA Eastern Region Soccer League Division 1 side, Grayham FC face expulsion if they fail to pay a US$2 000 fine for fielding an ineligible player last season.
The decision by Graham to field an unregistered resulted in the delay to declare the league’s champion and the winner was finally made through the board after a protracted battle which was taken to ZIFA and back to the ERSL disciplinary committee.
The team was given 14 days to pay the fine or face expulsion from the league by the disciplinary committee led by Chipo Nigel Mukwena.
Grayham will also pay an additional US$2 000 to the disciplinary committee.
The unregistered player whom they fielded in the final match against Bikita Minerals, Calvin Tinashe Chiwere was slapped with a US$500 fine and given 60 days to pay the fine and if he fails to pay the money he will be suspended from playing football or conducting any football related activities for the next six months
In sentencing the team, the committee said the conduct of Grayham caused delay and confusion in commencement of the Premier Soccer League and had put the game of football into disrepute.
“We have to emphasize a point that their conduct or the present dispute caused disruption to the commencement of ERSL 2024 season.
“The offence delayed the crowning of ERSL 2024 champions and changed the fixture schedule of the Premier Soccer League. “The league itself has incurred costs in handling the dispute in circumstances where the offence could have been avoided. The offender’s conduct brought the football fraternity into disrepute,” reads part of the judgement in possession of The Midweek Watch sports desk.
Grayham intentionally fielded Chiwere, using Munyaradzi Machipisa’s license in the leaguer’s final match against eventual champions, Bikita Minerals last season.
The committee said Calvin Tinashe Chiwere knew that the license he produced to the officials was not his and deliberately misrepresented to the match officials and his opponents.
