The Northern Region Soccer League (NRSL) has launched a sweeping crackdown on alleged match-fixing and corruption following a stormy end to last season, which was marred by accusations of financial inducements and manipulated results.
NRSL chairman Martin Kweza has revealed that an independent ethics committee—comprised of lawyers and ex-referees and overseen by board member Mr. Makunda—has been established to root out malpractice. The move comes after a cloud of suspicion hung over the league’s climax last season.
“No Tangible Evidence, But We Must Be Proactive”
Kweza admitted that while no smoking gun has been found, the league is taking no chances.
“We are aware of what happened last season—so many accusations, talk of match-fixing, people being paid, and what not,” Kweza said. “We don’t have concrete evidence, but as a league, we said: Let’s be proactive.”
The newly formed committee will work in tandem with the Zimbabwe Football Association (ZIFA) Ethics Committee and receive training from the Zimbabwe Anti-Corruption Commission (ZACC). In a bold additional measure, every club must now appoint an ethics officer to report suspicious activity directly to the league.
“If anything is said about your club, the ethics committee must investigate and give us a report,” Kweza warned. “If you’re found guilty, a decision will be made. We need to clean up our football.”
Kweza’s strong stance appears to be a direct response to the backlash and whispers of foul play that overshadowed the league’s integrity. Sponsors, he stressed, demand a clean product.
“Our sponsors want mileage, not noise. We can’t have their image tarnished because of the Northern Region,” he said.
