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Philip Chiyangwa

Eddie Chikamhi, Harare Bureau
ZIFA president Philip Chiyangwa yesterday said the formation of the National First Division next year will resolve the dilemma in the relegation and promotion processes.

The National First Division set up is provided for in the constitution but could not be implemented over the years because of lack of resources and coordination.

But, addressing journalists yesterday on the celebration of his first anniversary in office, Chiyangwa yesterday said the formation of the second-tier will be the panacea to the challenges bedeviling the football fraternity.

Zifa and their biggest affiliate, the Premier Soccer League, are currently at each other’s throats over the relegation and promotion procedure for next season.

The Harare businessman told the media that the football authorities find themselves in the quandary because the leadership has for a long time ignored the provision of the constitution which states that there should be a national second-tier league which feeds into the Premiership.

Chiyangwa, whose two-year term expires in 2017, said it will be one of his priorities to see that the proposed league is up and running next season.

“The champions have to be promoted to the Premier League from that First Division. And then there has to be Second Division in line with promoting football if there are enough teams and a third division as well.

“The constitution provides for four posts for the national league that have never been filled. Why I would want the First Division league to be there is because right now you can see the conversations that we are currently engaged in; it will not have been necessary because that league would have produced the champions known to everybody who should be promoted.

“Right now it’s appearing like it’s by negotiation for a team to be promoted. It’s not supposed to be like that. When the First Division league is there, it does its own play-offs when necessary. They knock each other out and two teams come up to the Premiership.

“What I am saying is that we don’t want a negotiated thing like what is happening. Whenever you reach such a position it means you must fix yourselves, Zifa must fix the problem.

“It must never become a negotiated settlement. It must be done as the constitution says. The constitution provides for that,” said Chiyangwa.

He said the National First Division was expected to run along the same lines as the PSL.

Chiyangwa said the four regional leagues will provide the teams that should participate in the national league.

The Zifa president is expected to articulate his position in parliament today after the association and PSL were summoned to explain the state of the game to the Portfolio Committee on Education, Sport, Arts and Culture chaired by Matobo North Member of Parliament Never Kanye.

The football association, however, have indicated they may not be able to attend the indaba as they are currently seized with the Cosafa Under-20 Championships which began in South Africa yesterday.

Chiyangwa said an amicable solution to the relegation/promotion puzzle would be reached.