Sikhumbuzo Moyo Senior Sports Reporter
THE Sports and Recreation Commission (SRC) on Thursday gave Highlanders the required support letter for the application of Dutch coach Erol Akbay’s work permit.
The support letter reportedly took long to issue as Zifa chief executive officer Jonathan Mashingaidze had not submitted Highlanders’ contract with the 49-year-old Akbay to the country’s supreme sports body as required.
SRC director of sports development Joseph Muchechetere on Thursday confirmed that they had given Bosso the support letter.
“The support letter was actually written immediately upon request, but we could not release it because of the missing contract. We did not know what Highlanders wanted us to support because Mashingaidze had not given us the necessary document,” said Muchechetere.
In an unrelated development, How Mine have dismissed rumours that they have signed Highlanders’ first choice goalkeeper Arial Sibanda.
How Mine sports administrator Reuben Ndebele said they have an unwritten rule that they will never sign any player contracted to the Bulawayo giants.
“Those reports are not true at all. As How Mine, we know we are in Bulawayo where Highlanders rules and we can’t strain our relations with them by taking their best players,” said Ndebele.
“When Charles Sibanda came to us, we had inquired from Highlanders whether they had any contract with him and if they still wanted him. It was after we had satisfied ourselves that we would not be stepping on the toes of Highlanders that we then decided to take Sibanda. The same thing happened with Mgcini Sibanda”.
Social media had been awash with rumours that Arial Sibanda had ditched Highlanders and signed a contract with How Mine.
Highlanders, who have promoted five juniors from their ranks, are set to bring in five new players from their structures, most of them from the lower leagues.