adminDeMbare shot to the top of the league on Tuesday after the Zifa Appeals Committee overturned the Castle Lager Premier Soccer League disciplinary committee’s earlier decision to nullify Dynamos’ 4-2 win over Hwange in which the coalminers played their game without their coaches Nation Dube and Mebelo Njekwa who were assaulted by DeMbare marshals.
Technical manager Tennant Chilumba was away in Zambia.
The league’s disciplinary committee noted that Dynamos’ marshals Abraham Kwenda, James Dzamu and Simbarashe Zviita admitted assaulting the Hwange gaffers before a league match on 6 May at Rufaro Stadium.
The admission of guilt fines which the marshals paid had condemned the Harare giants.
Former Zifa chairman Vincent Pamire said the appeals committee’s decision ran against the best interests of football.
He urged Hwange to take the matter up with the Commercial Centre of Arbitration for Sport.
“If people are serious about football prospering, they must practise fair play. A coach is part of the team in as far as football is concerned and that is why he sits on the bench and the referee has a right to give him marching orders if he doesn’t behave. It is not fair that they had to play without their coaches and I find it difficult to understand why we say people should play under protest and ignore that.
“It seems the appeals committee condones unsporting behaviour and such decisions will live to haunt football,” Pamire said.
Prominent arts personality and avid local soccer follower William Nyandoro took a swipe at the appeals committee.
“The truth of the matter is that the timing of this decision was bad. We are talking about an incident that happened in May and the decision comes four months later at a time when the championship and relegation battles are hotting up. One will be forgiven for thinking that someone decided to delay the judgment so that they first monitor Dynamos’ performance. It’s as if this decision was pre-determined,” said Nyandoro.
Anne Nyoni, who claimed to be a Dynamos fan, said she was happy with the decision.
“It is good that my team is back on top but it was going to be even sweeter had we played the game and beaten them without other people complaining. I would like to believe that the decision was the best according to those who came up with the decision,” Nyoni said.
Nhlanhla Dube of the Highlanders Supporters Association had no kind words for the appeals committee.
“God is for us all and will fight for us since we do not have people to do battle for us in boardrooms. This decision to give Dynamos points is very bad for football because look, when Memory Mucherahowa was assaulted in 1998, maybe it was overlooked because a player can be replaced but when Reinhard Fabisch was assaulted the assistants took charge. If the appeals committee really dissected all facts, did they realise that Hwange had to play without their coaches which meant their technical bench was crippled?” said Dube.
Sidaliwe Masuku could not find the logic in fining Dynamos if they were innocent.
“I would like to believe the charge was the same and it makes no sense at all to appeal against part of the sentence. If the results were made to stand, then why did they fine Dynamos? They should have been acquitted,” she said.
Thembi Nyoni and her friend only identified as Mercy questioned the appeals committee’s wisdom in arriving at their decision.
Mercy said a replay would have been a better option.
“So, does it mean that big teams can do anything and get away with it? Quelaton used a suspended player and they were heavily fined and lost three points yet Dynamos beat up coaches and they go scot-free. Tell me, what will happen to other teams in the event that their coaches are beaten? Do you think that they will go ahead and play? Will they be wrong if they do not fulfil the fixture because of assaults before kick-off? Who loses, is it clubs, sponsors or fans?
“Surely someone up there at Zifa has to explain,” said Pardon Marova.
Social networks were also awash with people reacting to the verdict.
Below are some of the comments.
10 games to go, Asingalahlin ‘ithemba maBosso amahle. Who knows, Dynamos might lose all 10 games and we win all 10 too. If the league is meant for us, it’s gona come to us..! Now we need to score more goals. — Mkhumbulo Uzokdubula Sbhamusenyon.
Since PSL has encouraged aggression against coaches of opposition teams then what will happen when Dynamos visit the Colliery. Should Hwange revenge? What will PSL do about the issue? — Dumisani Magadlela Dlakama.
Dynamos will do anything and everything to ensure they take away the championship from Highlanders. I remember when Reinhard Fabisch was stoned in Egypt, a replay was ordered in a neutral venue in Lyon between Zimbabwe and Egypt. Dynamos marshals assault and prohibit the Hwange coaches from attending the match, the match goes ahead and Dynamos win 4-2 in Rufaro. The marshals admit and Dynamos are awarded 3 points and have to pay a small fine. Would the same judgement have been passed if this had been done against Dynamos? — Mgcini Mangena.
At this rate I am afraid we are to see more drama for our team. It started on Sunday with that clueless refereee on a mission, and coupled with a second half four-goal harvest from Gunners by Dynamos, the timing of this judgement all but surely puts the puzzle pieces together. Zifa-Dynamosgate! — Faith Silandulo Dube.
To fix this problem we have two options on the table. 1) We pull out of league 2) We mobilise other teams and protest against the decision. — Nhlalo’enhle Ndlovu’enkulu Ahmed Mhlambezi.
The composition of the so-called Zifa Appeals Committee or is it DeMbare Appeals Committee decided the verdict not based on humanity/rules of the game but patriotically. This was done after the Sunday results. A good time to place Highlanders at a disadvantage. KODWA UNKULUNKULU uyazi njalo ngowomuntu wonke ngabe ngowabo bebezamfaka esigubhini bambone bodwa. To BOSSO faithfuls and PLAYERS “it shall be well”. — Nhlanhla Ngwenya.
You can only get the best out of Bosso nxa izinto seziqala ukubanje so. — Meluleki Sibanda.
We have to stop this, we have to pull out of the stupid league, we can do it madoda, let us move the motion, it’s pointless to compete in a skewed environment. — Mkhululi Sibindi
Wesley Bisset Ncube vs Hwange 2yrs ago
vs Bosso ku BancAbc
vs Hwange today
Dynamos have never and I mean never lost a ruling. There is one team in Zimbabwe. It plays 30 friendly matches in preparation for CAF CL.
God heard the cries of Israel in Egypt and the same God is still King lanamuhla uzasizwa ngelinye lamalanga. It will make our win against them our Sweetest!!! — Isaac Mbedzi.
We can still win this championship, it’s okay it happened sooner than later, we all knew it was going to happen anyhow, we were only worried when?? We have been through this road since 1980, so this is not news to us. The question we should ask ourselves is where to from here, because we are not pulling out of the PSL, I suppose we don’t have much of a choice but to concentrate on our last remaining games and win them, let us take this as a motivator, painful as it may be, we won’t waste our energy whining and complaining. Let’s waste it in supporting the boys, in supporting KK, in supporting Bosso Family. — Abed Dube.
No, Zimbabwe belongs to Dynamos asvotwa tine maborder posts hobho rovai marata. — Giwa Chiguvare.
Zifa ngaitonge zvakanaka,ndiyo irikuuraya bhora remuZimbabwe. They are useless, how can they say tichatonga dzichatamba neutral venue vobva vangopa DeMbare mapoints acho? — Davies Mwanza.
Kana muchiziva bhora pane chinonzi play under protest. You are killing Zimbabwe soccer, that’s why Dynamos yacho isina kwainosvika pa continental soccer because hakubhadharike bribe. — Thompson Chamanga.
I am DeMbare big time, the Hwange match should be replayed. Ko gore riya handiti takazonotamba neEgypt kuFrance nenyaya idzodzi dzekurohwa kwemacoach nemaplayers? Hapana chekutya apa, Hwange tinongoizora butter paneutral venue. — Douglas Mpondi.
The most foolish judgment I have ever heard. A team plays without a coach and they say it is okay. — William Mashongandoro.
Thank you Appeals Committee cause DeMbare deserved the three points. — Tapiwanashe Mukorovi.
This is the only country where you can actually start off a football match by boxing the opponent and nobody cares. A sad development for our football. — Mehluli Khumalo.
derick.khumalo
Online Reporter