Times Of Swaziland: PLE, TEAMS IN ARMED FORCES ‘SHOWDOWN’

PLE, TEAMS IN ARMED FORCES ‘SHOWDOWN’
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BY NTOKOZO MAGONGO on 11/04/2019 03:19:00


MBABANE – The Premier League of Eswatini (PLE) and its members are headed for
a showdown tomorrow over the armed forces teams’ involvement in elite
football.
The teams are concerned that players who are employed within the armed forces
are not eligible to play against their employers and they view this as
unfairness.
The teams are also aggrieved teams that the players employed by the armed forces
are not allowed to have contracts with other teams. The teams are alleging that
players employed within the armed forces teams sign long-term contracts with
their employers clubs, which makes it impossible for other teams to sign them
up.
The matter is set to be tabled for discussion during the start of a two-day
retreat for the PLE Board of Governors set for Lugogo Sun Hotel set to start
tomorrow evening and ending on Saturday.
A source close to the matter said the Governors are going to raise the issue
with the PLE during the retreat.
discussed
“The players are made to sign two contracts in one working place and that is
not fair to us as non-government teams. It is a challenge that needs to be
discussed at length and the retreat is the right platform as the teams will be
represented by the owners,” said the source.
A source close to the matter said the teams had already laid down some of their
concerns that include the involvement of armed forces teams in the elite league
and player’s contracts.
The armed forces teams are Royal Leopard, Green Mamba and Young Buffaloes. A
majority of their players are employed while they also signed contracts with the
club.
PLE Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Simanga Nhleko only confirmed the date of the
Board of Governors retreat and said the agenda would be laid down during the
event. Twenty-six (26) Board of Governors are expected attend the retreat
including the three armed forces tea representatives.
agenda
“The PLE will host the retreat on Friday and Saturday and the agenda will be
laid down during the event,” he said.
The armed forces issue has resurfaced following the recent dominance of the
three armed forces teams with Buffaloes, winning the Ingwenyama Cup while they
are also through to the EswatiniBank Cup semi-finals together with Green Mamba
and Royal Leopard. The three teams are also in the top three bracket of the MTN
log standings, vying for the league crown.