By Steve Vickers in Harare

Zimbabwe's football league is clamping down on superstitious beliefs.

Teams in the Premier Soccer League have been known to avoid changing rooms and designated stadium entrances, for fear of being put under a 'losing spell' as they walk past.

The Premier Soccer League (PSL) has been trying for years to stop these outlandish practices.

They hope that a competition for the league's most disciplined team will bring about a change.

"We've been hammering teams with fines all season, and we hope that this competition will discourage them further," said PSL executive member Chris Sambo.

"We have to run the league professionally and instil discipline in our clubs.

"It's time to eradicate this thinking in the minds of administrators and players. We must move on from the medieval days," said Sambo.

It is common to see teams holding their half-time talk in a corner of the pitch rather than using the visiting team's dressing room, for fear of juju.

The PSL said that teams that refuse to adhere to the new regulations would be heavily sanctioned.