FC Platinum’s quest for a fourth successive league title could suffer a blow following revelations that they fielded a player registered with another club.

According to the Herald, Juan Mutudza, 23, has a running deal with Herentals until the end of this year but disregarded that and joined the Platinum Boys early this year.

The Students wrote to the Mandava club over eight months ago advising them not to field the player. They also approached the Premier Soccer League several times over the issue without any joy.

Herentals have now turned to the ZIFA Player Status Committee.

“We make reference to the above matter in particular to advise your good selves that Herentals FC is making a formal complaint against FC Platinum. The allegations are that FC Platinum have signed and/or registered our player by the name Juan Mutudza without our consent.

“We tried to engage FC Platinum and the Premier Soccer League by way of several correspondences but nothing materialised,” wrote Herentals’ secretary-general, Fainos Madhumbu, to the ZIFA Player Status Committee on October 5, 2022.

“We believe that FC Platinum committed an act of misconduct by signing or registering Juan Mutudza as their player because we still have a valid contract with him and as far as we are concerned he is still our player.

“By copy of this letter, we kindly request that you formally investigate the matter and conduct a disciplinary hearing as mandated by the standing rules and regulations of the Premier Soccer League.”

Mutudza has a handful appearances as the FC Platinum push for the league title.

Should the Platinum Boys be found guilty, they could hve points docked from  them like what happened in 2003 when Dynamos fielded ineligible player Edmore Mufema.

A similar incident almost happened in 2017 when FC Platinum tried to register Lawrence Mhlanga, who had a running contract with Chicken Inn.

The defender was then forced to spend the entire season without playing as the Mandava side couldn’t register him.