PREMIER Soccer League chief executive officer Kenny Ndebele has received the backing of the topflight league clubs in his latest friction with the country’s supreme football body Zifa. BY TAWANDA TAFIRENYIKA Zifa ordered an investigation into possible misconduct amid allegations that he undermined their authority through Press statements as well as writing letters to the Sports and Recreation Commission (SRC) and the World League Forum. Last week, the soccer controlling body wrote to the PSL boss demanding explanation for letters he allegedly wrote to the SRC and the World League Forum. He was also asked to answer questions relating to the Press statements he issued through the media, which they claim portrayed a negative view of the football association as well as failure to provide accounting information as had been requested by the association’s general secretary. “The aforementioned information must be served at the association offices within seven days from the date of this letter. Note, in the event of failure to comply with the above, the association shall draw adverse inferences and will proceed to make a determination on the options available to it without an input from you,” Zifa wrote. “Further, note that the letter herein does not constitute a charge for misconduct, but it’s merely investigative in nature meant to ascertain the facts from you.” Although the association was quick to point out that Ndebele was not being charged but merely being asked to explain circumstances, PSL clubs view Zifa’s move as an attempt to pick a fight with the league after they were challenged, particularly in the manner they sought to distribute COVID-19 relief funds that came from Fifa and Caf. Some PSL governors yesterday told Newsday Sport that they fully supported Ndebele, adding that what he did had the blessings of the league. At the time the letters were written, PSL chairperson — Farai Jere — was in remand prison following his arrest. “I don’t see anything wrong he (Ndebele) did because he did not do this in his personal capacity. The PSL board of governors was aware of everything. They (PSL governors) authorised it and it should not really be an issue,” one governor who requested anonymity said. Ndebele had expressed PSL’s disappointment with the revised allocation of the COVID-19 relief funds by Zifa. The PSL had been promised US$20 000 in the initial budget allocation made in July, but it was later reviewed downwards to US$10 000 after a Zifa executive committee meeting. Ndebele was quoted by our sister paper, The Standard, as saying: “The Premier Soccer League is naturally disappointed with the allocation of US$10 000 from the Fifa COVID-19 relief funds. We understand the relief funds are meant to assist football organisations to restart competitions and with this allocation, the PSL may find it difficult to restart football competitions unless we get more funds.” “We appreciate that the national association has the ultimate authority or prerogative to disburse funds as it pleases; but there is a feeling that the
