The Sunday News
Mandla Ncube, Sports Reporter
ARENEL Movers, who were relegated from the Zifa Southern Region Division One League at the end of last season have been recalled.
Following a forgetful 2019 season which saw them being axed to Division Two, Arenel have been handed another shot in the Zifa Southern Region Division One.
“The Zifa Southern Region hereby notify you that your team has been recalled to play in Division One Southern Region League in 2020. Your team equitable displayed fair play during the 2019 season, hence the Board has decided to retain your team to play in Division One League for 2020 season,” read a letter addressed to the club.
After having initially resolved to have 16 teams for the 2020 Southern Region Division One season, the Association seems to have backtracked and the league will now be comprised of 18 teams. Zifa Southern Region chairman, Andrew Tapela said that Arenel were being recalled to the league on basis of being in good standing.
“We had said in the event that there’s a slot that arises for us to make 18 teams, the first preference will go to those teams who were in good standing and in good reputation and we can offer them another dance and Arenel happened to be one those teams that was relegated but in good standing and good reputation,” said Tapela.
Zifa Southern Region are keen to have teams that meet standards of Division One.
“The idea is to have 18 solid vibrant teams that can compete without any problems rather than have 18 passengers that may drop on the way without reaching their destinations,” he said.
Arenel will now join Bulawayo Chiefs and Quality Foods who earned promotion from the Division Two as well as Hwange who were relegated from the Castle lager Premier Soccer League.
The affiliation fee for the 2020 Southern Region Division One season has been pegged at $25 000 for the teams that were in the league last season and $30 000 for the newcomers. Last season, newly promoted teams paid $2 500, while other teams paid $2 000 in affiliation fees.
