Just three days before they play their Chibuku Super Cup game against Bulawayo City, Highlanders FC players boycotted training demanding salary and bonuses adjustments.
The players reported to the White City Stadium early Thursday morning and instead of changing into their training gear, they held a brief meeting with the club Chairman Johnfat Sibanda, then left for home.
They are demanding increase in their wages and luck of bonuses from few matches that they have played since the resumption of football in Zimbabwe.
Some of the new players who were signed in January are also claiming they are yet to be paid the balances of their signing on fees.
“A meeting with the captains held earlier failed to yield results and we felt that this salary discrepancy matter should be dealt with once and for all. Imagine, the lowest player gets about $10 000 and the highest is in the region of about $17 000; surely these are slave wages,” said one of the players told Chronicle newspaper.
“We need to pay rentals and school fees, and buy food from this money. Are we wrong to ask for a pay review?
“It’s not that we don’t want to play football, but how do we concentrate knowing that there is nothing at home? Teams that we play against are getting bonuses. We beat Bulawayo Chiefs and there were no winning bonuses. How can there be no incentive for winning cup games?”
One of Bosso officials who preferred anonymity acknowledged that the players’ salaries needed to be adjusted but added they will be sorted soonest.
“It is true we are lagging behind in adjusting players salaries but we are making all efforts to sort the situation,” said the official.
The 2021 Premier Soccer League (PSL)season is set to kick off on the 17th of July as per resolutions made during the top flight’s annual General meeting in April.
The domestic league season will kick off weeks after the conclusion of the season’s opening cup competition which got underway few days ago.
Highlanders has been in financial ruts since last March when their shirt sponsors Net One terminated their contract due to the effects of the coronavirus pandemic which saw the suspension of football in the country.
