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Sikhumbuzo Moyo, Senior Sports Reporter
TEAMS set to participate in the hastily arranged inaugural Marvelous Nakamba Foundation Under-17 football tournament are in the dark about training protocols in line with Covid-19 standard operating procedures.

Although Zifa said all the teams have been cleared to start training specifically for the June 18-19 tournament, it has emerged that no formal communication has been sent to the sides on the issue.

The tournament is set to be launched at a Bulawayo hotel tomorrow, while games are expected to be staged at White City and Luveve stadia a week later.

“Invited teams have been cleared to start training specifically for this tournament, not any other,” said Zifa communications and competitions manager Xolisani Gwesela.

However, teams appeared to be in the dark about the tournament.

“We don’t have any communication whatsoever from Zifa or the tournament organisers. We are dealing with school-going youngsters here, who have been given strict protocols to follow by their schools during the holidays and you can’t just pick someone’s child and expose them to this (Covid-19) virus. The second thing is on match fitness; our players last played football in 2019 and to suddenly plunge them into a serious tournament like this will be risking their otherwise promising careers,” said Chicken Inn.

Highlanders said they expect communication on the way forward from the tournament organisers.

“It’s our hope that tournament organisers will request for guidelines on behalf of clubs on how we should go about with training. We haven’t received that yet, but we hope the organisers will provide us with that,” said Highlanders.

Album Academy owner Alois Bunjira said they too had not received any communication from either Zifa or the tournament organisers.

“No, we haven’t received any communication to that effect yet. I believe we will receive the communication via the organisers. I don’t think we are to deal directly with Zifa or SRC (but) so far we haven’t received that communication,” said Bunjira.

Other teams that are set to participate in the tournament are Bulawayo City, Ajax Hotspurs, Njube Spurs, Hwange Dynamo, and Dynamos.

The Sports and Recreation Commission confirmed clearing the tournament and said it was now Zifa’s baby on how the tournament will be run.

“Those are operational issues which must be dealt with by Zifa,” said Ellita Nengomasha, SRC director of marketing and business development.

As per set standard operating procedures, all participating players and their officials have to undergo mandatory Covid-19 tests.

“They have to follow all regulations for resumption of football. Everyone must be tested at least 48 hours before the game,” Zifa medical committee head Dr Edward Chagonda said.

The tournament has also raised concerns of some observers, who fear that it was rushed and will pose a great risk to the participating youngsters in addition to expected rampant age cheating since there hasn’t been any controlled registration of players by Zifa, more so with reports yesterday that European scouts are likely to grace the event.

“We have no doubt that the idea behind this tournament is an excellent one, but we are asking ourselves a lot of questions. As schools we are yet to get authorisation to start any sporting activities yet the players that are set to participate in this tournament are school going, unless we are talking of over aged players. These kids haven’t played for more than a year and suddenly we expect them to participate in a tournament of this magnitude. Maybe some people have been violating Covid-19 health protocols by conducting secret training sessions all this time,” said Arthur Maphosa, president of the National Association of Secondary Schools Heads.