The Sunday News
Mehluli Sibanda, Senior Sports Reporter
THE Zifa Southern Region yellow cards saga is far from over after FC Talen Vision gave the Andrew Tapela leadership until Monday to attend to the matter or they will take it to more superior offices.
Last Thursday, Talen Vision, who finished second to Bulawayo City in the championship race wrote to Zifa Southern Region administrator Augustine Ndlovu, stating that they were not accepting the authentication that is said to have been conducted by the football mother body.
“Talen Vision regrets to inform you that we are not accepting your so-called verification of the yellow cards saga since the office seems to be complicit given the way in which (you) have (been) treating our case and the long time you took just to acknowledge our correspondence,’’ reads the letter to Ndlovu.
Furthermore, Talen Vision state that they have overwhelming proof to prove their claim, which they say the Zifa regional office has disregarded. Talen Vision are convinced that Bulawayo City used players who were meant to have sat out matches having accumulated three yellow cards.
“We have overwhelming and irrefutable evidence in our possession on the yellow cards scandal which your office conveniently ignored in the hope that we would not be in possession of records that will vindicate our complaint against BCC FC. Use of a player with more than three yellow cards is a clear violation of Zifa, Caf, and Fifa statutes and the penalty is thereof public knowledge,’’ further state Talen Vision.
FC Talen Vision
If they do not get any joy from the Southern Region, Talen Vision stated in their communication to Ndlovu that they are prepared to heighten their case to the national association as well as yonder.
“Talen Vision upon not having our genuine request for any independent verification of the yellow cards scandal will escalate our case to the mother body and beyond as we would have exhausted all local remedies without getting a fair hearing.”
As such the club has vowed to leave no stone unturned in their attempt to protect the image of the game from what they called “corrupt” and “selfish” individuals.
Talen Vision sought direction from Zifa Southern Region to advise them on which independent body they should approach to verify their evidence and the costs involved in the exercise.
“Should our request get the usual cold shoulder from your office by no later than Monday the 2nd of December 2019 the club shall escalate our case to higher offices,’’ concluded the Talen Vision letter.
Tapela confirmed receipt of the letter from Talen Vision which he said they will respond to before end of day on Monday.
“We received the letter on Thursday, they will receive our response on Monday, we have no problem at all responding to that,” Tapela said.
Meanwhile, Talen Vision are honouring their most outstanding players from the Under-13 all the way to the senior team at Gifford High School on Sunday.
@Mdawini_29
