FOOTBALL academies operating across Zimbabwe are set to deliver a petition in protest to ZIFA's recent decision to hike registration fees, annual levies and player registration charges.
They argue, in a petition seen by this publication, that ZIFA neither consulted nor acknowledged the operational costs they incur in the development of Zimbabwe's future stars.
ZIFA last week announced that it was now taking charge of all junior football leagues and set fees as high as US$3,000 for registration and an annual levy of US$2,000 for each academy.
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Over the US$5,000 ZIFA said academies will have to pay a registration fee of US$20 and an additional US$6 per player to the Sports and Recreation Commission (SRC) to make a total of US$5,620 say an academy has 100 players.
The fees target academies working with U13S, U15S, and U17S.
"We acknowledge the authority of the ZIFA Congress in governance matters; however, we express deep concern regarding the recently adopted affiliation and registration requirements affecting football academies Junior Football," reads the petition which is now in Bulawayo.
"Our concern is not opposition to regulation, but to the process and structure through
which these measures were introduced.
"Historically, academies/Junior Football have paid a uniform affiliation fee of USD $200 as a demonstration of seriousness and commitment to football development.
"The introduction of additional financial obligations without clear justification
creates layered cost burdens.
"These costs are inevitably transferred to families.
"Increased fees risk excluding young players, particularly from rural and low-
income communities. For grassroots football in Zimbabwe, that is not regulation, that is a barrier to entry."
ZIFA announced that it will reveal registration and competition dates soon.
It finds itself in a Catch-22 situation, having spent decades without pouring into junior development and relying on the same academies for raw talent.
Academy administrators who spoke on condition of anonymity said the fees did not make sense coming from an institution they have never benefited from.
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"We are yet to enjoy FIFA grants that are set for junior football development, which we know ZIFA receives. It doesn't make sense that ZIFA would set such fees for us when we have been doing all the dirty work with no appreciation," said a source at one of the academies.
"We are petitioning Nqobile Magwizi (ZIFA President) and his board so that they realise their error.
"We were not consulted, were not represented and took no part in setting these charges which is an issue that raises eyebrows.
"At the end of the day, those who are saying Magwizi wants to shut us down sound factual, yet it is just a matter of oversight. ZIFA must engage us for a proper system and policy."
According to ZIFA, players from these academies will all be registered on FIFA Connect, a platform that records and tracks player movements across the world.
Added the academy owner: "Registering players on FIFA Connect is a welcome development but we first need to deal with past transgressions by clubs which took and registered our players at no transfer or signing-on fee.
"ZIFA has for ages failed to protect us; it can't start doing so by imposing such exorbitant fees."
