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2017/18 MTN LEAGUE NULL & VOID!

27/09/2017 05:19:00 BY SABELO GWEBU

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MBABANE – Mbabane City want tomorrow’s MTN League game against rookies Vovovo suspended.

In a letter dated Monday September 25, 2017, City has told Premier League of Swaziland (PLS) Chief Operations Officer (COO) Pat Vilakati that Vovovo are in the league illegally and that their continued presence rendered the 2017 MTN League null and void. City are strongly contesting the PLS’s decision to increase Premier League teams from 12 to 14 and are demanding the meeting minutes where the increase was authorised.

In their letter, City wrote; “Our understanding and in terms of the 2016/17 MTN National First Division League rules and regulations, the first two teams with the most number of points were to be automatically promoted to the MTN Premier League while all the remaining teams continue in the First Division League.”
Vovovo were placed third in last campaign’s MTN First Division League but got a promotion hole to the elite league following the PLS’s decision to have mini play-offs to increase Premier League teams to 14 and have Mbabane Highlanders avoiding the chop despite ending in the drop zone.

“We are therefore of the view that Vovovo is in the league illegally and/ or unlawfully and its continuous presence is rendering the 2017/18 PLS League null and void. The same applies to Mbabane Highlanders, a team which was relegated in terms of the 2016/17 MTN Premier League rules and regulations and is currently still playing in the same Premier League on unclear circumstances,” wrote City in their letter.

City, who are yet to collect a point from the opening three MTN League games after three matches, urgently and with immediate effect request “That the involving Mbabane City and the aforesaid football club to be suspended pending the unequivocal clarification in this matter; that we be furnished with the set of minutes said to have authourised such increase of teams from 12 to 14 in the Premier League and that authorising the playing of the special mini play-offs involving the clubs, Madlenya, Manzini Sea Birds, Vovovo and further the special resolution, if any, excluding Mbabane Highlanders from participating in such play-offs and the written down set of rules governing such,” City continue in their letter.

City adds that according to their understanding, Highlanders were relegated straight to the First Division.
Furthermore, City also want to be furnished with a copy of the National Football Association of Swaziland (NFAS) resolution or minutes , return-letter authorising such if any, endorsing such as required by both the PLS constitution and the NFAS statutes and regulations.

“Our considered view is that, whatever resolution if any, ought to have taken a retroactive effect as opposed to a retrospective effect as the rules and regulations for both the Premier League and National First Division League are announced and adopted at the commencement of that respective football season. Further, is our view that the presence of the aforesaid two teams (Vovovo and Highlanders) renders the ongoing soccer league null and void and is open to putting the sport into a never-ending disarray, disrepute and it opens all doors for protests to be lodged against these teams,” City wrote as they view the whole process negatively in the country’s quest to attain First World status by the year 2022.