Email
Print
Digg ThisHARARE, May 7 (Reuters) - Zimbabwe's Dynamos could pull out of their African Champions League tie against holders Etoile Sahel in Tunisia on Saturday because changes to currency-buying regulations mean they cannot afford to travel, the state-run Herald newspaper said.
Dynamos, who won the first leg of the third round tie 1-0, said a change in the country's foreign exchange regulations last week had left them unable to buy enough U.S. dollars to pay for travel.
Dynamos secretary general Tawanda Murerekwa told the newspaper their trip hung in the balance.
"Our trip is in doubt because the gap that has been created by the new forex dispensation," he said.
Dynamos require a minimum of US$50,000 for the trip, which would cost 10-trillion Zimbabwe dollars at the new exchange rates, the newspaper said.
The club had previously budgeted 300-billion Zimbabwe dollars for the trip based on the old official rate, to which they no longer have access. Zimbabwe has the highest inflation rate in the world.
The club have now asked for government assistance. The Herald said a similar problem was also being faced by Bulawayo-based Highlanders, who are to travel to Sudan for an African Confederation Cup match against Al Merreikh on Saturday.
Zimbabwe's central bank last week relaxed tough rules restricting foreign currency trade, introducing a "willing buyer-willing seller" policy that took effect on Monday.
The Zimbabwe dollar, which had been officially pegged at 30,000 to the United States dollar before the rules were changed, traded at an average Z$165 million to the greenback.
