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Ricky Zililo, Senior Sports Reporter

THE Premier Soccer League (PSL) board of governors will decide if newly promoted clubs that haven’t paid their affiliation fees in full can attend today’s annual general meeting.

The board of governors, comprising representatives from all PSL clubs, meet in Harare today to deliberate on the 2020 programme and pending disciplinary issues.

The four newly promoted teams are Bulawayo City from the Southern Region, Whawha (Central Region), Cranbourne Bullets (Northern Region) and Tenax (Eastern Region).

Topping the AGM’s agenda is the season kick-off date. Fears abound that it could be delayed by the Herentals’ disciplinary hearings and new boys Whawha’s failure to pay affiliation fees.

Herentals are fighting to overturn the PSL disciplinary committee’s decision to dock three points from them after being found guilty of match manipulation in a league match they hammered Black Rhinos 3-0.

Whawha has failed to even make partial payment of the $208 000 PSL affiliation fees and could lose their place in the topflight league.

Should Whawha and Herentals both be thrown out of the PSL, the Southern Region stand to benefit from having more teams, as TelOne and Chapungu, who had both been relegated, will return.

The PSL would have ideally wanted to start its 2020 season in mid-March to avoid last season’s scenario of the league ending in mid-December.

“The board of governors will decide if the clubs that haven’t paid affiliation fees are allowed into the meeting or not. Only one (newly promoted) club has fully complied, while two have made part payments, with one failing to meet the deadline,” said Kudzai Bare, the PSL spokesperson.

“The board will decide on the issue of Whawha and advise on how to proceed regarding Herentals, who have pending matters. About fixtures, that is not a major issue because they can be done and released in a day,” she said.

The PSL secretariat will also update the board of governors on sponsorship. 

Delta Beverages sponsor the PSL through its Castle Lager brand and the two partners are reportedly close to agreeing on extending their current association. — @ZililoR