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NewsDay

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Chaos rocks Eastern Region

Sport
The Zifa Eastern Region Division One League was thrown into turmoil yesterday, with Buffaloes saying they had walked out over “preferential treatment” afforded by the administration to championship rivals, Yadah FC.

The Zifa Eastern Region Division One League was thrown into turmoil yesterday, with Buffaloes saying they had walked out over “preferential treatment” afforded by the administration to championship rivals, Yadah FC.

BY KENNETH NYANGANI

Several other clubs were also threatening to follow suit over the same issue and matches set for this weekend have been suspended.

The chaos was sparked by the league’s decision to award Yadah FC three points in a disputed match against Prime Rangers.

The match was abandoned with four minutes to go, with Prime Rangers, who were leading 1-0, protesting the awarding of a penalty to Yadah.

In their match against Surrey, they were also awarded three points following the abandonment of the match with scores tied at 2-all after the Prophetic Healing Deliverance Ministries side had been given a late penalty.

Buffaloes secretary-general, Arnold Gatsi confirmed the development to NewsDaySport yesterday.

‘’We have quit the league because the playing ground is not level,” he said. “Yadah have been getting preferential treatment, so we had a meeting today (yesterday) and we decided to quit. We believe the executive in the Eastern Region should investigate what is happening in Yadah’s matches, administratively, we are not getting fair treatment. We are scheduled to play Prime Rangers and Tenax and the two teams can be awarded the points,’’ he said. With two matches remaining, Yadah FC are at the summit of the log standings, with 63 points, the same with Buffaloes, but enjoy a better goal difference.

Mutoko Traders boss, Chido Madzinganyama said his club could also walk out over the same issue.

Tenax vice-chairperson, Danford Matsvai said teams in the Eastern Region had been frustrated by the way Yadah was benefitting from boardroom decisions.

‘’We have been speaking against Yadah FC all along and they are not from the Eastearn Region and we don’t know why they were given the green-light to play in our league,’’ he said.

Eastern Region administrator to Tedious Machawiwa said they are going approach Zifa president, Philip Chiyangwa for assistance over issues affecting the region.

‘’Yes, we gave them (Yadah FC) the three points, we are following the rules and regulations, they (other teams) are fooling themselves, they can do what they want. If a team abandons a match, it loses three points,’’ he said. ‘’We are going to approach Zifa vice-president, Omega Sibanda so that we can have an independent disciplinary committee to look in such matters, and this weekend, we might suspend all our matches so that clubs can settle their affiliation fees.