THREE weeks have passed since the Bob 91 Super Cup final was played, yet the participating football clubs are yet to get their prize monies.
BY HENRY MHARA
Dynamos won this year’s edition of the tournament which was contested by the country’s big three teams including losing finalists Caps United and Highlanders.
The Glamour Boys were promised $40 000 for winning the tournament, while the Green Machine were told they would get $20 000. Bosso, for losing the play-off match against Caps United, is supposed to receive $10 000.
But almost a month now has lapsed, and yet the money has not reflected in the clubs’ bank balances.
The tournament is played to celebrate President Robert Mugabe’s birthday. He turned 91 this year.
The three clubs yesterday confirmed that they had not received their prizes and said they were beginning to get worried. “To be honest, we are beginning to get worried,” a Caps United official said yesterday.
“We had hoped that we would get the money by now, but it appears there is nothing coming our way.”
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A Dynamos official said: “Morale in the team is very low because the players now think it’s the management that diverted the money yet we have not received anything.”
The tournament spokesperson Charles Mabika yesterday confirmed that they had not disbursed the money to the clubs.
He did not give any reason for the hold-up.
“The prizes are on their way and the three clubs will receive the money. I cannot elaborate any further,” Mabika said.
The tournament has of late attracted condemnation with some critics saying the organisers are using the President’s name in vain.
They argue that the organisers are using the opportunity to line-up their pockets with the two matches having been hastily arranged and clubs arm-twisted to take part when they had lined up other engagements.
In the play-off, Highlanders fielded a mainly second-string side as their other team had travelled to Beitbridge for a friendly match. Highlanders had actually threatened not to take part as they had not been favoured with the rules and regulations of the tournament or even informed of the prize money.
However, some political arm-twisting here and there saw them eventually play.
Caps United, on the other hand, also had to split the team into two with one travelling to Malawi to take part in the Zambezi Challenge Cup, while the other had to take part in the cup final.
This year’s final was marred by chaos due to poor crowd control which left many supporters and journalists marooned outside the stadium.
The prize money was announced on the day of the final, in a bid to appease Dynamos and Caps United, but the media had always suspected the two clubs were being used.
It is also reported that chairman of the organising committee Stan Kasukuwere was pushed out at the last minute.
