Published by the government of Zimbabwe
Augustine Hwata
15 August 2008
Harare — ITS reputation might have taken a battering in the past two weeks but the CBZ FA Cup, the premier knockout football tournament in the country, has bounced back in spectacular fashion with its winners being guaranteed a US$70 000 cash prize.
This is all part of a revamped format in which the Zifa competitions committee have ironed out some of the problems that have been haunting this year's edition of the tournament since the original draw was done in the capital last month.
The Zifa competitions committee met with the sponsors - CBZ Holdings - in the capital yesterday and managed to come up with a revised format in which the participating clubs will be cushioned against transport costs while an attractive package is now on offer.
The sponsors will now provide fuel to the travelling clubs as part of the deal struck yesterday to try and reduce the direct costs that the teams have to foot for taking part in the competition.
The winners will also get US$70 000 and the organisers revealed yesterday that they will approach the sponsors, through the relevant monetary authorities in the country, to try and have this amount paid in hard currency to the victorious team.
This is meant to help that team use that money to prepare and also take part in the Confederation of African Football Confederations Cup next year.
The winner of the CBZ FA Cup gets the ticket to represent Zimbabwe in the Confederations Cup.
The proposed US$100 that was supposed to be paid to the team that loses in the first round has also been hiked to US$500 as part of the new format.
The total package for the tournament now stands at US$200 000 and Zifa competitions committee spokesman Godfrey Japajapa said yesterday that the sponsor had done its part and it was now time for the clubs to play their part on the field.
Japajapa said while the tournament had been faced by a number of challenges, the clubs needed to appreciate that the sponsor had also gone out of his way to accommodate their concerns.
He said, in a challenging economic environment, it would be difficult for the clubs to get everything that they wanted and they also had to compromise so as to keep the game alive.
There was a danger, said Japajapa, that new problems could drive the sponsors away from the game and this could destroy the soul of the domestic game.
"The winners of the CBZ FA Cup will be getting US$70 000 and we are pushing for payment to be made in hard currency.
"As a committee, we will be meeting with Zifa and the sponsors CBZ Holdings so that we can impress on the monetary authorities, in this case the Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe, so that the winners can get their prize money as hard currency.
"By giving them hard currency, we hope the money will help the winners when they represent Zimbabwe in the Caf competition next year because they will have somewhere to start from, at least," said Japajapa.
Last month, Premiership clubs complained that the prize money was not adequate, but Japajapa yesterday said the sponsors had now come up with their best offer under the circumstances.
"The sponsor has given guarantee that all the money will be paid to the clubs immediately and this will be on the first working day after the matches have been played.
"It was our wish to have the clubs being paid in hard currency right from the first round, but this cannot happen since it's against the laws of the land.
"Asking for a special dispensation for all teams is also out of the question," he said.
Teams that get knocked out in the first round next weekend will get an equivalent of US$500 for their efforts while those who exit in the second round will take home US$1500.
The last eight teams will receive US$3 000 and the semi-finalists will earn US$5 000 each and losing finalists will get US$25 000.
"The idea here is for all the clubs to fight for the big prize -- the US$ 70 000.
"That is what a cup competition should be. It is not supposed to reward those who lose in the first rounds, but those who do very well.
"And genuinely I want to give a thank you to the sponsors and it is my hope that the clubs will give us real value for the investment made," said Japajapa.
CBZ Holdings, Japajapa said, had also considered the request by clubs to be cushioned against the rising travel expenses.
"All the visiting teams going out of town will be cushioned against their travel expenses with the sponsor providing fuel," he said.
Shooting Stars, who are scheduled to travel to Gwanda for a date against Njube Sundowns, want the sponsors not only to foot their fuel bill but also provide the team bus, the players' allowances, the accomodation and food while on this road trip.
Teams taking part in the premier knockout tournament will share 50-50 from the gatetakings and although Dynamos' first round game will not attract a full house, it will be enough to break records for the Division One opponents.
"As PSL, we are not going to take any levies from the gates but Zifa will take 10 percent of the net and this was reduced from 15 percent.
"The levies for the Sports Commission remain in force because those come through an Act of Parliament.
"Clubs will share the responsibility of controlling the gates," he said.
Defending champions Dynamos will kick-start their campaign with a date against either Turnall Bulawayo or former Premiership side Ziscosteel at Rufaro next Sunday.
Japajapa also explained that they had scrapped the seeding system where all Premiership clubs were seeded in the first round.
"If we seed the Premiership teams, the element of surprises where lower league clubs where going to knock-out the big guns was going to be minimised.
"It's the major trend the world over that all the teams should be given an equal chance in a major knock-out competition," he said.
In the spirit of fair play, Japajapa said his committee will use the CBZ FA CUP 2008 Edition Rules and Regulation as their guide.
Between now and the quarter-finals, matches that remain deadlocked after 90 minutes will spill into extra-time. If the extra 30 minutes of play do not produce a winner, then the lottery spot kicks will be used to separate the two sides.
But from the quarter-finals onwards, Section 9 of the rules and regulations states that a replay will be ordered at a venue to be determined by the competitions committee.
If the match is drawn after 90 minutes during the replay, extra time is called for before a penalty shoot-out is employed.
CBZ FA first round fixtures
August 23: Sundowns v Shooting Stars (Pelandaba), Lengthens v Lancashire Steel (DZ), Eagles v Underhill (Rudhaka), Savanna Eagles v Gunners (Rimuka), Buffalo Hardware v Zim Saints/ Railstars (Sakubva), Monomotapa v Motor Action (Rufaro), CAPS FC v Black Rhinos (Gwanzura).
August 24: Hwange v Highway (Sakubva), Chapungu v Border Strikers/Tongogara (Ascot), Highway v Hwange (Sakubva), Masvingo United v Air Zim Jets (Mucheke), Dynamos v Turnall Bulawayo/ Ziscosteel (Rufaro), Highlanders v Kiglon (BF), Shabanie v Mkwasine (Maglas).
TBA: Eastern Lions v Kariba/Flame Lily/Mwana, Zimphos/Douglas Warriors v Northern Region.
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