BY TAWANDA TAFIRENYIKA/ TERRY MADYAUTA
THE Herentals match-fixing soap opera is set to come to its final episode as the Zifa appeals committee sits to hear the case tomorrow.
The club will edge closer to discovering its fate in the top-flight after being found guilty of manipulating games by a Premier Soccer League (PSL) disciplinary committee.
The club lost three points for allegedly fixing the match against Black Rhinos.
After losing the three points, Herentals would be relegated and Chapungu would benefit by bouncing back after they had finished in the drop zone last term.
Zifa spokesperson Xolisani Gwesela confirmed the association’s appeals committee meets tomorrow.
“I can confirm the hearing of the Herentals appeal is on March 5,” he said.
The matter was supposed to be heard two weeks ago, but was postponed because the appeals committee members did not constitute a quorum.
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Herentals was unsatisfied with the PSL disciplinary committee’s judgment over match-fixing allegations and it took the matter to the Zifa appeals committee, hoping for a favourable ruling.
The Students felt the PSL disciplinary committee erred because the judgment was not signed by all the three members of the committee as should be the case and that one of them even signed it twice.
The PSL disciplinary committee’s judgment slapped the Harare side with a $300 000 fine for the alleged offence. Herentals beat Black Rhinos 3-0 during the match in question which saw a team official from the army side, Gift Kamuriwo coming forward to testify he had been given money to fix the match.
The PSL side, however, feels the evidence was not compelling enough to nail them and questioned why if they had indeed committed an offence, Black Rhinos was spared punishment.
There have been genuine fears, the postponement of the matter could derail the start of the 2020 campaign.
PSL has, however, insisted that the start of the league programme would only be announced after its annual general meeting scheduled for Friday.
Meanwhile, Gweru-based side Chapungu are optimistic that the decision by the Zifa appeals committee in the match-fixing case would result in their elevation into the top-flight.
Bulawayo Chiefs have also complained that Herentals might have manipulated the outcome of their season finale.
Chapungu vice-chairman Patrick Chikwanda said they are expecting Zifa to uphold the PSL ruling. “We believe that PSL made the right decision and the Zifa appeals committee will follow suit. Football must be the winner at the end of the day,” he said.
“We have never doubted the integrity of the justice system in our football, hence we believe the decision will take football forward, not backwards. Our fingers are crossed and we hope to be back in the top-flight.
“We owe the Gweru community a lot because we have let them down in the past season, but this year we promise that the good old days are back under new coach Moses Chunga and they should get excited,” Chikwanda added.
