HERENTALS have described their latest expulsion from the Premier Soccer League as a weird act which they claim exposes a hidden agenda to destroy their club.
Yesterday, the Students were slapped with an expulsion by the PSL disciplinary committee for taking football matters to the court.

The decision comes barely a week after the club won their appeal against a guilty decision, in a match-fixing case, delivered by the same PSL disciplinary committee.

PSL spokesperson, Kudzai Bare, released a judgment in which she said their disciplinary committee had expelled Herentals for not withdrawing their case from the High Court.

According to the judgment, Order 31.1.5, states that a club will be charged for an act of misconduct if:
“It fails to comply with, or contravenes any provisions of the constitution, and those orders of the Zifa Constitution and Rules of the Association, the Caf Statutes and the Fifa Statutes as well as laws of the game.

“It, inclusive of its officials, players, servants or duly authorised (expressed or implied) representative or supporters, commits any act or makes any statement, either orally or in writing, or has been responsible for conduct which is considered ungentlemanly, insulting or improper behaviour or likely to bring the game, sponsors any member, the league, Zifa, Caf or Fifa into disrepute.

“The club also breached Article 53.1 of the PSL Statutes which states that:
“PSL, its members, players’ officials and match and player’s agents will not take any dispute to ordinary courts unless specifically provided for in the statutes and Fifa regulations.
“Any disagreement shall be submitted to the jurisdiction of PSL, Zifa, Caf, and Fifa.

“The club pleaded guilty to the offence and the PSL DC noted that the club had not withdrawn the matter from the courts.’’

Yesterday, the Harare club were expelled from the top-flight league and fined $100 000.

But, club secretary Fainos Madhumbu, said the decision – which was reached at without a hearing – appeared to suggest the league were not pursuing a personal case against them.

“To us, this came as a surprise. They were waiting for the Zifa Appeals Committee to come up with this weird judgment,’’ he said.-State media