YOUNG SOCCER PLAYER HARRASSED IN GENDER DISPUTE By Meluleki Ncube Former second-tier side Star Queens were in ruthless form on Saturday 14 June 2025 as they finally put their bid to return to the Northern Region Women's Football league back on track. After dropping maximum points in their opening two engagements in the third-tier Harare Province Women's Soccer League (HPWSL), Star Queens picked their first set of maximum points courtesy of a 0-6 away win over league newcomers Aurora Institute at Whitecliffe Stadium. Log leaders Frankton Ladies also notched a road victory, albeit the narrowest possible, in a match that was tarnished by a sad incident of player bullying. The league and Frankton Ladies director Frankton Murinyu have since condemned the conduct of the Frankton coach and captain over the harrasment of a young Power 11 Academy star, alleging she was male. They reportedly demanded that she lower her shorts to prove she was female. Power 11 Academy official Liberty Ndewere pleaded for a higher level of grasp from teams in the league, saying his team was mostly in it for developmental purposes and hence there was no need for opponents to employ drastic means in search of victory. “Our players are so young that most of them have not yet developed commonly-noticed feminine features. They are so young that they do not even put on braids. To use the absence of such to question their gender is just unfair”, said Ndewere. Defending champions JSM Mufakose failed to travel to Holy Queens, earning the later free maximum points by default. Holy Queens stay second in an unchanged top three from last week, with their scheduled opponents maintaining third place.