BY TERRY MADYAUTA
ZIMBABWE’S Premier Soccer League (PSL) appear to be dragging their feet in implementing the new Club licensing requirement that demands the establishment of a women’s side to be able to participate in CAF competitions.
The spotlight is on Chibuku Cup champions FC Platinum, who are racing against time to finish up setting up a female team for them to be able to participate in the next edition of the CAF Confederation Cup.
Previously clubs had to win their domestic leagues or finish as runners-up to participate in the Champions League, while entry into the Confederation Cup was being earned by winning their country’s premier knockout competition.
But after a general assembly meeting held in November last year, CAF added a provision to terms of qualification, with clubs now expected to have female teams as well.
CAF wants to see women’s club football growing in Africa as well as help push the ladies game to become professional.
However, locally CAF’s call seems to have fallen on deaf ears, with the majority of local clubs very reluctant to establishing female teams.
Apart from Highlanders, Black Rhinos, Harare City and Herentals who already had female teams, it appears only FC Platinum have heeded the call.
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FC Platinum spokesperson Chido Chizondo revealed that setting up of their female team is now at an advanced stage although she did not divulge more details.
The Zvishavane club won the Chibuku Super Cup last year and ultimately booked a place in the next CAF Confederation Cup later this year.
The bulk of the PSL clubs have not made any progress in setting up female teams, something that is expected to be a massive boon for women football in the country and the continent at large.
For Chicken Inn, secretary general Tavengwa Hara revealed that they were finalising their proposal before submitting it to sponsors.
“We have a proposal. But there are a lot of things to consider because at the moment, we have our juniors from under 14 up to the under 19 team playing in Division 2,” he said.
“So we will have to map everything with our sponsor. As you can see it’s tough nowadays and if it does work out the way we plan, then we will have to sacrifice one of the teams in the developmental side so that we can accommodate the vision for ladies.
“But that’s not what we want as a team. We want to maintain all our structures including the female team, if it works out.”
Chicken Inn took part in the 2016 edition of the CAF Champions League.
And since they are perennial campaigners in the PSL, they will hope to have a smooth passage into the African Safari in the event of winning another PSL title or the Chibuku Super Cup.
Nevertheless, this problem is not only unique to Zimbabwe, as the bulk of South African clubs don’t have female teams.
Fortunately for South African clubs, a solution to forming female clubs could be to have them adopt the already existing ones playing in the local league.
Last year, Ngezi Platinum and Dynamos indicated that they are working towards establishing the female teams.
Dynamos spokesperson Tinashe Farawo said: “It’s work in progress, we will give more information as soon we are well positioned to do so.”
However, nothing has been revealed as yet, though with both clubs saying they are in the process of setting up the teams.
