Highlanders face Chibuku Cup ban

Curtworth Masango

Sports Reporter

HIGHLANDERS face expulsion from the Chibuku Super Cup and a ban from next year’s edition after refusing to resume play following a controversial decision to award Simba Bhora a penalty in their quarter-final clash at Wadzanai on Sunday.

The match was abandoned after 79 minutes as captain and goalkeeper Ariel Sibanda refused to take up his position in Highlanders’ goal, protesting against a decision to award a penalty for Peter Muduhwa’s foul on Tinashe Balakasi.

Television replays showed that the incident happened outside the box.

While the rest of the Highlanders players stayed on the field, Sibanda’s refusal to allow play to resume resulted in the abandonment of the match after a 30-minute stoppage.

According to the rules governing the Chibuku Super Cup, a team that causes the abandonment of a match by refusing to play will be thrown out of the tournament and be banned from next year’s edition.

There is NO right to appeal.

Clause 7.6 and 7.7 of the Chibuku rules and regulations, Highlanders face a fine of not less than US$6 000.

“If a team refuses to continue to play or leaves the stadium or the field of play before the end of the match, the team will be considered as having lost the match in question.

“The match will be awarded to its opponents on a score line of 3-0 or more if, in the case of an abandoned match, the winning team has already reached a higher score at the time the guilty team leaves the field of play.

“The defaulting team shall be banned from participating in the next edition of the Chibuku Super Cup”

“No appeals may be lodged against these decisions,” it reads.

Highlanders might also be fined another USD$6 000 due to the abandonment of the match according to according to clause 8.8.

“Causing the abandonment of a Chibuku Super Cup match.

“ACTION TO BE TAKEN

“Refer to the Disciplinary Committee who shall impose a fine of not less than USD$6 000 on the guilty team.

“The match result is awarded to the opposing team on a 3-0 winning score line or more if the opposing team has already reached a higher score. Further penalties or actions may be imposed by the PSL Disciplinary Committee or appointed Ad-hoc Committee where necessary.”