SRFA takes teams to task

The Southern Region Football Association (SRFA) has said teams that will not pay registration fees in full for the Masters Security League, will be forfeiting games when the second round rolls into action this Saturday.

This comes in the wake of reports that the Southern Region Football Referees Committee (SRFRC) has said it will only allocate referees to officiate second round games on condition that the SRFA should clear its outstanding dues in the excess of K2 million.

Premier League teams are required to pay K160 000 each as registration fees.

SRFA vice-general secretary Kingsley Simbeye yesterday confirmed that following a meeting they had with the clubs, it was resolved that any team which fails to pay the dues in full, will be forfeiting games.

“I do not have the exact figures, but clubs owe us a lot of money in registration fee balances. Before the meeting, only about eight out of 22 Premier League teams had paid in full whereas in the First Division, most of them had not paid.

“The situation was affecting our operations. However, following the meeting, some have started paying but there are still about 10 teams that have not honoured payment,” he said.

He, however, played down suggestions that the association has taken that route following pressure from the referees.

But SRFRC vice-general secretary Andy Kuseli confirmed in an interview that the league indeed owes them about K2 million.

“We have agreed to meet with SRFA on the matter this Saturday and that is where a determination on the way forward will be made. But I doubt if we can proceed to kickoff the league on the very same day,” he said.

Blantyre United FC patron Lawson Nakoma said it is only imperative that teams should pay the fees in full.

“The association needs to pay referees and it cannot run the league effectively if clubs are not honouring the fees”. n