The Commercial Arbitration Centre (CAC) is yet to furnish Zifa with the hearing dates of the protracted promotion battle pitting Central Region sides Hardbody and Tripple B, further heightening concerns the cases would spill into the new Premiership season.
The clubs, which are locked in a seemingly endless bitter off-field wrangle to win promotion, are yet to receive communication from the Muchadeyi Masunda-chaired CAC.
Tripple B are seeking an overturn of the Zifa Appeals Committee’s recent decision to reinstate Hardbody the 42 points they were docked by Central Region Disciplinary Committee in November last year.
The Beitbridge-based side last week filed an appeal at the CAC to have Hardbody stripped of their Premiership status and are now waiting for the hearing date.
Zifa communications manager Nicky Dhlamini yesterday said: “Tripple B have already served the Commercial Arbitration Centre with their appeal. But the arbitration court has not yet informed us on the date when the hearing would take place so we are just waiting.”
Tipple B secretary Gibson Makhanda said they were also in the dark about when the hearing would take place.
“Right now we do not know anything that is happening. There has been no communication from Zifa either. So we will just wait to hear from them,” said Makhanda.
The arbitration court would have to study appeal submissions put forward by Tripple B as well as those from the previous hearings.
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It will then have to assess all the notes before passing judgement and all this should be done within the month of February, which is highly unlikely.
Another battle is still raging and yet to be finalised in the Northern region where DStv Rangers recently ghosted into the Premiership courtesy of the stripping of 18 points from Harare City.
But Harare City have since lodged an appeal with the Zifa Appeals Committee, setting another potentially-endless boadroom encounter.
Premier Soccer League (PSL) chief executive officer Kenny Ndebele seemed unperturbed by the circus and said the Division One conflicts would not have any bearing on PSL business.
“We have been assured by Zifa they will deal with these issues before the start of the season. Everything is in order and we will be able to handle anything.
“As for the fixtures, they are not a problem because our system is that of seeding team one versus team 16, which is an easy system. We will have our annual general meeting at the end of February and that is when we will draw the fixtures.”
