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Kennedy Ndebele

Ricky Zililo, Senior Sports Reporter
AN induction workshop for the four newly promoted clubs will mark the start of the Premier Soccer League’s 2017 programme.

Premiership returnees Bantu Rovers, Black Rhinos and Shabanie Mine, as well as first timers and Zifa Eastern Region champions Yadah Gunners will take part in the workshop.

The PSL board of governors on Friday put to bed the relegation and promotion matter that had hounded domestic football two games before the end of the 2016 season and threatened the start of the 2017 season.

The league’s bosses agreed to withdraw the case they had sent to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) in Switzerland, giving in to Zifa’s resolution of January 7 to promote four teams and relegate two.

The decision reached on Friday means the topflight league will now have 18 teams.

Following the conclusion of the contentious matter, PSL chief executive officer Kennedy Ndebele yesterday said they would hold an induction workshop for the four new clubs soon.

“We’re down to business and as it is we’re working on having an induction workshop for the teams promoted from the regions. Participants at the workshop will be the four clubs’ chairpersons or presidents, chief executive officers and their security officers. The induction workshop is an orientation for newly promoted clubs to familiarise them with the statutes, club administration, licensing and marketing, among other things. The dates will be advised in due course,” Ndebele said.

The PSL is also expected to send its team to look at the four clubs’ stadia before the start of the season.

Topflight clubs should also brace for more midweek games in the 2017 season, with each team now set to play 34 league matches.

The start of the season could be brought forward to avoid the league’s programme spilling over into 2018.

Ndebele chose to be diplomatic in his response on how they are going to deal with a demanding programme.

The veteran administrator said the secretariat would draw proposals and present them to the board of governors for approval at their annual general meeting in early March.

“We’re bracing for an exciting season and as it is we’re working on the fixtures’ programme for 2017 based on suggestions made by the board of governors at the meeting held in Harare last week. We will have to factor in Fifa or Caf competitions in our calendar, which will be tabled for adoption at the PSL AGM in March.

“As for cup competitions, that will also be dealt with at the AGM. One of the possible solutions for cup competitions is to have the bottom four teams at the halfway mark or at the time of the start of the tournament involved in a play-off so that we have two teams that will join 14 other teams for the first round. This is just a proposal which will be tabled to the board of governors,” Ndebele said.

@ZililoR