Zanzibar — CHIPUKIZI Football Club have registered four new players and dropped other four as they prepare for the Isles Premier League which kicks off on September 2, Coach Omar Abdi Keagan believes the new faces will propel the team to success in the new season.

"We've decided to register a few players to reinforce positions that were weak last season. Otherwise, we've good players who are capable of bringing success to the team," he said.

Keagan, who is coaching the team for the first time, said named the new players as goalkeeper Gharibu Mussa Said from Ruvu Shooting, Ali Khatib Mohammed (FC Roma), Hassan Abdi Hassan (Buffaloes) and Ahmed Sadala Khamis (Kilimani Stars).

On his team's strategies he said they are geared at playing good, entertaining football and win the title. "We're ready for everything. Fans should expect good, precise football from us as our aim is to put up a stiff challenge and win the Isles title," he said.

Chipukizi are one of the teams from Pemba taking part in the Zanzibar Premier League. Last season Chipukizi finished fourth. The other Pemba teams are newly promoted Jamhuri, Kizimbani and Fufuni. Meanwhile, referees officiating at Zanzibar leagues have been reminded to observe the 17 rules of the game and stop favouring some of the teams.

Officials of some of the clubs taking part in the national second division league told the 'Daily News' yesterday Zanzibar will not be able to get genuine champions if some unscrupulous referees twist the rules.

They noted that Zanzibar will end up getting teams that are unable to represent well the country in international competitions if the leagues are officiated by biased referees.

Black Sailors secretary Issa Khatibu Masiku said the Zanzibar Football Association (ZFA) should train its coaches and order them to abide by the 17 rules of the game. He said most teams work very hard but are frustrated by selfish referees who are bribed to favour some of the competitors.

"But we (team officials) are the ones to blame because we bribe the referees," he said. Muungano Rangers secretary Ali Salum Ali said referees should be fair, otherwise Zanzibar teams will continue to fare poorly at the international scene.