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Ricky Zililo Senior Reporter
HIGHLANDERS’ participation in the hastily arranged 2015 Zifa Unity Cup hangs in the balance following news that the Bulawayo giants have released their players for holiday. According to a statement released by Zifa last night, Highlanders and Dynamos are set to clash at Barbourfields Stadium on Tuesday, December 22.

The national association said the winners of the hurriedly organised competition will walk away with $20,000 and the losers $15,000.

Bosso are saying they do not have players but the chief executive officer, Ndumiso Gumede, said he will wait for the executive to guide accordingly.

“As it is, we don’t have players and we hear some of the boys have travelled to South Africa for the holiday. As for what will happen, I will wait for my bosses to brief me on what to do,” said Gumede.

Part of the rules state that players who are with the national team preparing for the African Nations Championship (Chan) tournament set for Rwanda from January 16 to February 7, will not be allowed to participate in the Unity Cup.

Highlanders’ players in the national team are defenders Bruce Kangwa and Teenage Hadebe, midfielder Nqobizitha Masuku and striker Knox Mutizwa, while Dynamos have goalkeeper Tatenda Mukuruva, defenders Blessing Moyo and Elisha Muroyiwa, midfielder Ronald Chitiyo and striker Rodrick Mutuma.

Initially, there were plans to have the two country’s most popular clubs facing off in the Joshua Nkomo Legacy Cup played over two legs and organised by the Joshua Mqabuko Nkomo Foundation, but Bosso indicated that they were not available.

“Regrettable we’re not participating in the Joshua Nkomo Legacy Cup because we released our players after winning the Easycall Cup. We don’t want to denigrate Zifa and PSL who gave clearance, but there’s no agreement between the club and the organisers. The fact that we said we are not averse didn’t mean we agreed. Besides, we didn’t even see the rules of the competition,” said Gumede yesterday.

According to the Joshua Mqabuko Nkomo Foundation, the organisers of the ill-fated tournament, which has now been cancelled by Zifa to stage the Unity Cup, the winners were set to get 35 percent of the total gate takings and the losers 25 percent.

The foundation had also proposed to pay each player an appearance fee of $100.

Zifa communications manager Xolisani Gwesela said the tournament would now be held next year.

“The Joshua Nkomo Legacy Cup, which had been billed for this year, has been postponed to pave way for the Zifa Unity Cup, and will now be the 2016 season opener,” Gwesela said.

He said entry to the Zifa Unity Cup final is free.