The Northern Region Soccer League (NRSL) has taken a firm stance against match-fixing, establishing a dedicated Ethics Committee to handle corruption-related issues in Division One.

The move follows growing concerns that some games may have been manipulated, threatening the reputation of a league widely seen as the best-run among Zimbabwe's four regions.

During the NRSL's annual general meeting in Harare on Saturday, the league resolved to create the Ethics Committee, which will include lawyers and former referees.

"It will be chaired by NRSL board member Hastings Makunda.

NRSL chairman Martin Kweza said the decision was necessary to safeguard the league's integrity ahead of the 2025 season.

"Going into the new season, we've introduced an Ethics Committee to work alongside ZIFA's own committee in handling match-fixing and corruption allegations," Kweza said.

"Last season we received reports, but without tangible evidence. This time, we want to ensure any claims are investigated properly.

"I'll personally ask the Zimbabwe Anti-Corruption Commission to train our Ethics Committee members."

Kweza added that every club will now be required to appoint an ethics officer who will monitor matches and submit reports.

"This officer will observe games and prepare post-match reports based on what they witnessed," he said.

Looking ahead, Kweza expects another competitive season, which kicks off the weekend of April 4-6.

However, the build-up has been marred by Centenary United's expulsion from the league after they failed to pay their 2025 affiliation fee.

"It's unfortunate. We gave them a deadline of December 31, then extended it to February 28. Still, they didn't pay, so we had no choice," Kweza explained.

"All teams must be fully paid up before the season begins."