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Innocent Kurira, Sports Reporter
AJAX Hotspurs are set to lodge a formal appeal with the Zifa National Appeals Committee after the Zifa Bulawayo Province Disciplinary Committee turned down their complaint against two crucial rulings made by the association.

Zifa ruled that the abandoned game between Ajax Hotspurs and CIWU be replayed, while in the other case White Birds were found not guilty after using a banned player in their game against Ajax.

Ajax director Siphambaniso Dube said: “We as Ajax cannot justify a wrong and go on and play. Where have you had a decision of a referee being changed at a round table when Fifa says it is final? It is a landmark decision that will allow teams to walk out when they concede a goal that they (teams) believe is not genuine knowing well that when they walk out and cause an abandonment, Zifa Bulawayo Province and its disciplinary committee will give them the reprieve of a replay.

“Look, Ajax Hotspurs is an institution that is bound by ethics and morals and we therefore take a professional approach to the beautiful game of football. Let the world know that Ajax Hotspurs is not going to justify that by replaying that CIWU match.”

With Ajax and CIWU in a fierce battle for the runners-up slot, which guarantees promotion to Division One, the decision will have a telling on who gets promoted to the second tier league.

The top two teams are automatically promoted and Toronto have already won the championship, leaving one more qualification slot.

CIWU finished second with 65 points, while Ajax are three points behind on 62.

The CIWU and Ajax game was brought to an abrupt end in the 68th minute, when Ajax scored a free kick from just outside the box to send Ajax into the lead.

CIWU players and the technical team protested the goal arguing the free kick was given as an indirect free kick, but Ajax took it as a direct kick.

CIWU players were then ordered off the pitch by their technical team resulting in the game being called off with Ajax leading 1-0.

CIWU accepted the resolution made by Zifa, saying they felt the match officials spoiled a potential thriller.

In the second case, Ajax disputed White Birds’ use of a banned player in their game.

The player’s ban was set to end on August 29 yet he was registered on August 4, meaning he was not eligible to play in that match.