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Eddie Chikamhi Senior Sports Reporter
THERE was a mixture of good and bad news for Harare giants Dynamos after the Premier Soccer League awarded the Glamour Boys maximum points for the abandoned match against Highlanders recently and at the same time slapping them with a US$3 500 fine.
DeMbare paid heavily for the violent behaviour exhibited by their fans when retaliating to the threats posed by their Bosso counterparts in a sad ending to what could have been an exciting afternoon of good football between the country’s football heavyweights.
Unfortunately, the match had to be called off prematurely after a group of frustrated Highlanders supporters rained missiles and then stormed the pitch, forcing referee Allan Bhasvi and match commissioner Thomas Kusosa to shelve the match just moments before the half time break.
Highlanders got a sterner punishment and had vice-captain Peter Muduhwa fined US$500 and suspended for four games after he was also served with the summons for breaching the regulations.
“In arriving at an appropriate penalty, we took into consideration that Highlanders fans started the missile throwing and pitch invasion which ultimately resulted in the abandonment of the match,” reads part of the judgement.
“However, the retaliation by the Dynamos fans made the situation worse resulting in the abandonment of the match. It is not for the accused to take the law into its own hands but to put in place, as far as that is possible, official security measures to deal with unruly behaviour.
“Obviously, the accused cannot be punished to the same extent as the perpetrator, but it is necessary to send a message to the accused that retaliation is not acceptable and also has consequences.
“All the charges will be treated as one for purposes of determining an appropriate penalty. The accused, Dynamos FC, is sentenced to pay a fine of US$3 500 of which US$500 is suspended for a season on condition the accused does not commit similar offences.
“The effective fine of US$3 000, together with the costs of the hearing, shall be paid within two weeks of receipt of this judgment.”
With the latest ruling, Dynamos moved to 43 points and gained one place up the log standings after easing into fourth position in the marathon.
Having lost considerable ground in the title race in recent week, DeMbare now trail log leaders Ngezi Platinum Stars by eight points going into the last eight games of the season.
Highlanders, on the other hands, remained on third place with 45 points. The two clubs, who were involved in almost similar fracas again last season, were summoned for a hearing two weeks ago and the ruling by the PSL Disciplinary Committee that was led by Doreen Gapare was meant to restrain the clubs from perpetrating violence in future.
Police had to exercise restraint to avoid the situation deteriorating into costly chaos. Some unlucky fans were injured during the melee, which was in many ways a bad advertisement of the domestic game.
Highlanders fans were frustrated early in the game after finding their team trailing 0-2 with just over half an hour played. Keith Madera propelled DeMbare ahead with just four minutes played before skipper Frank Makarati doubled with a header from a free-kick.
The situation was already tense at Bosso who, after going for the first 19 games of the season unbeaten, had slumped to identical 2-0 defeats to Chicken Inn and FC Platinum in their previous two outings.
Highlanders fans seemingly incensed by a number of what they felt were harsh calls against their team, invaded the pitch in the 38th minute, after a five-minute spell in which missiles rained onto the pitch from the Soweto stand.
The fans claimed the referee Bhasvi denied their team a penalty after Mackinnon Mushore fell under challenge from goal scorer Madera.
Bosso apologised for the sad incidents in a statement.
Some DeMbare fans were also caught on camera throwing back missiles to the Bosso fans and their club was charged for breaching sections of Article 31.1.13 of the PSL Rules and Regulations.
“It is common cause that there was missile throwing and pitch invasion by some fans, the majority of whom — hundreds of them we were told — were wearing black and white regalia associated with Highlanders Football Club while a few others, not more than fifty (50), were wearing blue and white regalia associated with Dynamos Football Club.
“It is also not in issue that the missile throwing and pitch invasion was initiated and instigated by the Highlanders fans who were not happy with the referee’s decision not to award a penalty for what they perceived as a foul on their player in the penalty box.
“According to the match commissioner, Mr Kusosa, some Highlanders supporters got on the pitch, threw a few missiles and retreated.
“Thereafter, those in blue and white also invaded the pitch in retaliation.
“However, when those in black and white came back in greater numbers those in blue and white withdrew and ran away as they were outnumbered. Even those Dynamos fans occupying the Mpilo end of the stadium also ran away,” reads the judgement.
Online Reporter