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Petros Kausiyo Harare Bureau
PREMIERSHIP champions Dynamos and their league rivals FC Platinum face Zifa sanctions after the Sport and Recreation Commission yesterday directed the association to penalise them for withdrawing players from Team Zimbabwe to the African Games competition on the 11th hour.

Dynamos and FC Platinum threw the Young Warriors squad into disarray when they withdrew a combined five players from the 20-man side just a few hours before the team’s scheduled departure for Congo Brazzaville on Monday night.

That move also cost the Team Zimbabwe management a $9,740 penalty from the airlines and the Sports Commission yesterday ordered Zifa to crack the whip on their affiliate clubs.

Sport and Recreation Commission communications manager Tirivashe Nheweyembwa said the actions by Dynamos and FC Platinum smacked of lack of patriotism and an appreciation of the support that government has been rendering to football.

Nheweyembwa said although the African Games tournament was not on the Fifa calendar, it was not an excuse for Dynamos and FC Platinum to snub national duty.

“While it is appreciated that the African Games are not on the Fifa calendar, we must place patriotism at the centre of what we do as a nation and football clubs are not an exception in this endeavour.

“The football competition will be run by Caf in Brazzaville so why are the clubs snubbing national duty. Are they out to embarrass?