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Sikhumbuzo Moyo, Senior Sports Reporter

FC Platinum’s application letter to Zifa for the resumption of intensive group training ahead of the start of the Total Caf Champions League matches in November has reportedly gone missing.

The Sports and Recreation Commission (SRC) professed ignorance about the request document despite claims by Zifa that it had sent it to the supreme sports body as per protocol.

The Zimbabwe champions, whose players have been doing individual and home-based training since the lockdown started, had applied to Zifa for a special waiver for the club to begin group based training.

The request, said the FC Platinum media and liaison officer Chipo Chizondo, was sent sometime last week, a few days after Caf released dates for the tournament kick-off.

“We sent our application last week and await patiently. I am sure the government, through the SRC are all working to give us a suitable solution,” said Chizondo.

Zifa spokesperson Xolisani Gwesela said the request was sent to SRC, but did not give a date.

“We applied to SRC; maybe you can hear from them,” said Gwesela.

However, SRC director-general Prince Mupazviriho seemed to be unaware of any communication from Zifa.

“I have not seen the application,” said Mupazviriho.

Pure Platinum Play will get their Caf Champions League journey underway on the weekend of November 20-22, with the first-leg preliminary round followed by the return leg five days later.

Coach Pieter de Jongh yesterday told our Harare Bureau that they were eager to resume group training, but would await authorisation from the authorities, which club management was working on.

He has since altered his players’ individual training programmes, as he looks to get them in perfect shape ahead of the gruelling African sojourn.

“My players have been sending video updates of their training routines four times a week since May. We have since intensified the regime since Caf announced that the Champions League games will start in November,” said De Jongh, adding that he now wants his charges to go a gear up.

The Dutchman said each player was now expected to cover about 24km inside a week for them to be fully fit.

“It’s a fact that players are not match fit, but we have to bring them into the right shape and condition them for the games,” he said.

Having qualified for the last two versions of the Champions League and twice failed to make it beyond the group stages, FC Platinum will be eager to do better this time by qualifying for the knockout stage of the tournament.