The Premier Soccer League has broken its silence on the suspension of the league’s officials by the Zifa board.
The Felton Kamambo-led executive announced sanctions against PSL chairman Farai Jere, chief executive officer Kenny Ndebele and the club chairmen of Highlanders, Dynamos and Manica Diamonds.
The accused faced charges of signing a petition calling for an Emergency General Meeting which FIFA blocked.
The members wanted to raise a motion to dissolve the Zifa board.
In a statement, the PSL said the sanctions against its officials are meant to bring division within the league.
“The Premier Soccer League has noted with concern that some of the members of the suspended ZIFA Executive Committee have sent correspondence purportedly suspending the leaders of Caps United FC, Dynamos FC, Highlanders FC and Manica Diamonds FC together with the PSL Chief Executive Officer, Mr Kennedy Ndebele, ” reads the statement.
“The Premier Soccer League condemns this shocking behaviour that is tantamount to vindictive and intimidatory tactics by the three suspended Executive Committee members.
“It is surprising that despite being a member of the suspended EXCO, the PSL Chairman, Mr Farai Jere was not invited to this so called Board meeting which effected these suspensions.
“We would like to categorically state that an attempt to divide the Premier Soccer League family will not be tolerated.”
The statement continues: “It is on record that the ZIFA Executive Committee and the ZIFA Chief Executive Officer were suspended by the Sports and Recreation Commission (SRC) on 16 November 2021 and 27 November 2020 respectively. The suspensions of the said PSL officials are therefore illegal and of no force and effect.
“The PSL Governors unanimously agreed to petition the revocation of the mandate to Executive Committee Members as provided in the ZIFA Statutes after observing a number of irregularities, these being poor governance, lack of transparency and failing to respect the Judicial bodies’ decisions among a plethora of other issues.
“We stand by our suspended PSL board members and Chief Executive Officer.”