COMMENT: Football rules are football rules

LIFE situations have rules written or unwritten that have to be observed to protect the interests of all.
Be it sport, politics, farming, business there are expectations for one to behave in a particular manner so that there is no emotional or physical harm to others.

The 10 commandments of the Bible are the cornerstone of all our moral expectations on a day-to-day basis.
There is no doubt that in Zimbabwe just like the rest of the world, sport plays a crucial role in people’s everyday lives. It is a source of living, employment, recreation and wellness.

Those that partake on the field or track are expected to behave in a particular manner so as not to hurt others’ liberties.

The game of football, like all sports, has rules and regulations as to how it has to be run institutionally. There are rules that govern the playing aspect so that it does not become a free for all with an uneven number of players on the pitch.

These laws or the unwritten ones, often moral values ensure there is parity for all and makes sport an equal opportunities arena.

In football the clarion call by the world governing body Fifa, is Fair Play. The rules that were enacted in the 19th century and have seen periodical reviews to this date are premised on Fair Play. They apply to both teams and those entrusted to manage the process of fairness on the field, are well grilled to implement.

Therefore, chances of human error are there and unlike in mathematics where a formula helps one to arrive at an answer better than guess work, the referee’s interpretation of any given situation differs from person to person.
To err is human.

Zimbabwe soccer fans were last Sunday drawn to one particular football match, the Simba Bhora versus Highlanders in Shamva tie which ended after 79 minutes of the 90 were played. Simba Bhora were awarded a penalty by Cecil Gwezera after heeding a call by his assistant Zondzi Ngosana who under normal circumstances should have had full view of the penalty box.

Peter Muduhwa collided with Tinashe Balakasi and the match officials awarded Simba Bhora a penalty way off the 18 yard box and the match was eventually called off after Highlanders refused to take their positions for the penalty to be taken.

Rules of the game entail such decisions by referees being respected to allow play to continue. Highlanders, the oldest team in the land know pretty well that unless the referee changes on his own or at the instigation of the assistant referee or fourth official the call stands.

It was unfortunate that they felt cheated and did not subscribe to playing under protest. There is no team in Zimbabwe that has ever benefited from playing under protest as such letters seem to find their way to the next dustbin the moment they arrive.

The Wadzanayi Stadium incident was unfortunate for the game. Was it a judgment error or deliberate as many teams that have played in Shamva think the stadium is more like a crime scene.

Many have left complaining of biased officiating and Highlanders on the Friday of the match wrote a letter to the authorities over their misgivings in having the match played there two weeks after they felt cheated.

They were against the venue, the refereeing and the presence of stones and bricks within the stadium which could easily be used as missiles among opposition supporters. True to their fears, it did not take long into the first-half for fans to fight on the terraces.

Gwezera’s suspension in the aftermath of the Simba Bhora and Highlanders clash brought to 20 the number of referees suspended this year. At the rate of a referee and his assistant being suspended, it means if six have, then 14 referees remain to be shared by the 17 other teams and nine venues giving those that believe some “unfootball” things happen at the mine.

So this scenario leaves Shamva very much of a crime scene than a proper football venue. However, sad as it may be, Highlanders’ actions which are supported by the unprecedented move to suspend match officials without a disciplinary hearing process, backs the notion that there is something about referees that is not good.

Justice for football was achieved to some extent as bullying and cheating have allegedly been exposed and the final stretch of the league championship is expected to be much better promoting Fair Play.

The rules and constitutions seem to fight each other as Fifa wants Fair Play yet the rules of the games say all matches are dictated by referees’ own understanding thereof.

There are reports of camps and referees pulling each other down at the instigation of handlers’ mostly retired referees and members of the committee that runs their affairs.

Highlanders is expected to respond in mitigation that there is overall consensus that the ball was not in the box as underlined by referees’ themselves sanctioning each other. Should teams like Simba Bhora continue to benefit from dubious decisions?