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Bantu Rovers general manager Wilbert Sibanda (left)

Raymond Jaravaza, Sports Correspondent
THE Zifa and Premier Soccer League (PSL) relegation and promotion impasse has left Southern Region champions Bantu Rovers in limbo, with the bulk of their players’ contracts expiring in 11 days time.

The club says it cannot offer new contracts to players in the absence of a clear solution to the number of teams that will be promoted to the PSL.

With less than a fortnight before the end of the year, Bantu Rovers are in a quandary as to which of their players, whose contracts are set to expire, to retain for the 2017 season.

“We are in a predicament because 75 percent of our players’ contracts expire on 31 December and it’s difficult to negotiate for contract extensions when we don’t know how the relegation and promotion impasse will pan out. Not knowing where we stand obviously makes things very difficult from a planning point of view,” said Bantu Rovers general manager Wilbert Sibanda.

He said the club had been forced to keep its squad in training even after the end of the Zifa Southern Region Division One League due to the ongoing confusion involving Zifa and the PSL.

“It’s expensive to keep the guys training, but we have no choice because we had to have a plan in place in the event we are called to take part in promotional play-offs. But as of last Thursday, we took a break for the festive season and will resume training in early January. The players are, however, on standby if new developments arise.

“We have a plan in place to recruit new players, but that will only be made at the recommendation of the coaches. In January we will hold our annual trials, but will only target players under the age of 21,” Sibanda said.

Bantu Rovers join Black Rhinos (Northern), Yadah FC (Eastern) and Shabanie Mine (Central) as the four Zifa regional Division One champions that are watching with exasperation the circus unfolding at the highest level of domestic football management.

They are all keen to see an end to the Zifa and PSL impasse so that they know where they will be playing in 2017.

A fortnight ago, Zifa issued a public statement saying two teams would be relegated from the PSL, while the four regional Division One champions will join the elite league for the 2017 season.

The statement said an 18-team league would bring an end to the relegation and promotion dispute that has cast a dark shadow on local football.

However, the PSL rejected Zifa’s proposed solution and stuck to its two in and two out stance. The PSL even took the dispute to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) in Switzerland. The league insists that Zifa must respect a resolution made to chop two teams from the PSL and have the four regional champions competing in promotional play-offs, with the top two winning promotion.

@RaymondJaravaza