Police call off league matches over poll violence fears

• Busy schedule for league teams over Easter

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• 2008 league season gets underway

• Zimbabwe league season delayed by a week

• Highlanders through despite defeat

• Dynamos through to 2nd round

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• Malajila leads Highlanders rampage

• Muhoni gatecrashes H'landers party

• Dynamos look to past for inspiration

• Goal shy Highlanders strikers on the spot

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• 2008 Premier Soccer League Fixtures

By Mutongi Gava

THE Zimbabwe Football Association (Zifa) has instructed the Premier Soccer League (PSL) to cancel all matches after a directive from the police who fear stadiums could turn into breeding grounds for political violence ahead of elections next weekend, New Zimbabwe.com has learnt.

A top PSL official, who declined to be named, confirmed that CBZ weekend matches were likely to be cancelled following the order.

But continental matches featuring Dynamos and Highlanders will go ahead as scheduled. CBZ Premier League champions Dynamos are scheduled to play Costa do Sol of Mozambique in the African Champions League first round first leg at Gwanzura Stadium while Highlanders lock horns with Green Buffaloes of Zambia in the CAF Confederations Cup.

Zifa cannot stop Dynamos and Highlanders from playing at the weekend as that will attract a heavy fine and ban from the Confederation of African Football.

"We have been told by Zifa that police wrote to them banning all matches until the March 29 elections are held. We are still to sit down as an executive over the latest developments but it is highly likely that we are going to comply," said the PSL official.

But Federation of International Football Associations (Fifa) statutes clearly indicate that governments must not interfere with football issues or the country might face a ban from international assignments.

Zifa chief executive officer Henrietta Rushwaya refused to comment.

It will be the first time that all football activities will be banned to allow elections to be held in the history of the country.

Zimbabweans go to the polls to elect a new president, senators, MPs and councillors on March 29.

President Robert Mugabe, seeking a sixth term in office, faces his sternest political test against his former finance minister Simba Makoni and opposition leader, Morgan Tsvangirai.

The police directive will throw the PSL into turmoil as it is already a week behind schedule. The new season kick-off, originally scheduled for the first weekend of March, was pushed further by a week by sponsors, the Commercial Bank of Zimbabwe (CBZ).

In all, 13 matches could be cancelled between Good Friday and Thursday next week from the PSL fixtures schedule released on Tuesday.