How Thulani Sibandzeaï¿½ï¿½s supension came about

WHAT was an ordinary Swaziland Soccer Refereesaï¿½ï¿½ Association annual general meeting a fortnight ago resulted in Fifa-accredited referee, Thulani Sibandzeaï¿½ï¿½s suspension from officiating coming out into the public domain.

The suspension was from all football activities.The towering Swazi referee took charge of the Total Africa Nations Championships qualifier exit match against Namibia at the National Sports Stadium in Harare in which his contentious decision to allow a feinted Fredericks Dynamo penalty to stand knocked out the Warriors.

Namibia are due to meet Comoros in the next round of qualifiers but should the Warriorsaï¿½ï¿½ appeal hold water, judging by the Mamelodi Sundownsaï¿½ï¿½ precedent, Namibia could still be disqualified from the tournament.

Sundowns had been knocked out of the Championsaï¿½ï¿½ League and Caf Cup by AS Vita and Madeama and they proceeded after the disqualification of the Congolese giants.

A source revealed that there was an attempt to keep the suspension under wraps but it was always going to be difficult because of the timing of the indaba.

aï¿½?There was an attempt to keep Thulaniaï¿½ï¿½s suspension undercover but the absence from the refereesaï¿½ï¿½ meeting sold him out and thataï¿½ï¿½s how it leaked. Sibandze and his assistant on the day, Petros Mbingo, are high ranking referees and their absence was too big an issue to ignore,aï¿½? revealed the source.

Although Zimbabwe had not submitted a formal complaint against Sibandzeaï¿½ï¿½s decision that became the cornerstone of the Warriorsaï¿½ï¿½ exit before the suspension, Caf probably acting on the match commissioneraï¿½ï¿½s report, wrote to the National Football Association of Swaziland provisionally suspending the duo pending investigation.

Furthermore, the continental football mother body requested additional reports on the incident from the duo after inadequate information in their post match reportsAï¿½ submitted to the Caf secretariat.

Zifa only filed the official complaint to Caf on 5 August.

According to the Times of Swaziland, the continental football governing body suspended Fifa-accredited referee Sibandze together with his assistant Mbingo with immediate effect.

Both Sibandze and Mbingo could not be reached for comment but according to the tabloid, National Football Association of Swaziland chief executive officer, Frederick Mngomezulu aï¿½?acknowledged receipt of communication on the matteraï¿½? with no further elaboration.

Only a month ago, Sibandze was a recipient of praises after breaching the Top 30 African refereesaï¿½ï¿½ barometer, but the Swati referee turned himself villain after controversially allowing Namibiaaï¿½ï¿½s Dynamo Fredericksaï¿½ï¿½ feint before the kick to stand in a kick that diabolically knocked out the Warriors.

Sibandze, who manned an African Nations Championships (Chan) second leg qualifier between Zimbabwe and Namibia on July 23, was adjudged to have erred in allowing the penalty kick to stand. . .