Sundaymail Editor
Tinashe Kusema
JBC power forward Taurai Chitsinde is no stranger to controversy, having spent the better part of his veteran years skating on the thin line of infamy.
For all his credentials on the court, the 34-year-old is arguably one of the most polarizing players ever to set foot on a basketball court.
Chitsinde has a host of medals; He led Zimbabwe to the 2015 Afrobasket Championships as captain and was selected into NBA’s Africa Top 100 camp.
However, now it looks as if King Mamba- as Chitsinde is known within basketball circles- may have bitten more than he can chew. He has caught the ire of Foxes’ head coach Kelvin Ben.
The clash stems from what appears to have been a reckless challenge on Ben’s point-guard Christopher Tsvarai, during last weekend’s pre-season tournament hosted by Foxes and Vixens basketball club.
A video of the incident is currently doing rounds on social media, and it shows Chitsinde running back to defence, taking up his position to take the offensive charge with his elbows up and he clashes with Tsvarai.
Action stops as the young Tsvarai is being attended to, bringing the entire tournament to a halt as the Foxes refuse to get back on the court.
“We want disciplinary action brought up against Tau (Chitsinde), and we are currently seeking audience with relevant authorities,” said Ben.
Tsvarai has since received stitches in his mouth and only returned to light training this past week as he awaits the results of shoulder scans.
According to papers in the possession of the Sunday Mail Sport, Ben has since written to the Harare Basketball Association, Basketball Union of Zimbabwe and most importantly Sports and Recreation Commission as Chitsinde happens to sit on the basketball mother body (BUZ).
It is his fear that Chitsinde’s standing as BUZ Athletes Commission president may affect the ruling of both the HBA and BUZ — and what he terms a lack of action and empathy from the player — that have forced the seasoned gaffer to take the matter onto the doorsteps of SRC.
“Before my decision to write, I had been hoping for action to have been taken,” reads part of the letter.
“I have nothing against the perpetrator of this hideous and dangerous act.
“What bothers me at the moment is that Taurai Chitsinde is the BUZ Athletes Commission president, and this commission is tasked to look after the welfare of players countrywide, yet after committing such an offence, the so called “Athletes Commission President” never bothered after his brutal act, to have a look at what he had done (whether intentionally or unintentionally).
‘Neither did he have the decency to call or visit the injured player in hospital or any time after,” read the letter.
For his part, Chitsinde has refuted any malicious motive.
“It is everybody’s right to have any grievances heard. The constitution that governs our sport provides for that, and they (Foxes) must exercise that right, ‘correctly’, “said Chitsinde.
On the incident itself, the 34-year-old said, “Specific to that play I ran back to stop a fast break; I got in a good position to guard the two on one play.
“My training had me do the gorilla to have the opponent guess which was the clear lane; I picked my lane to take the charge and Chris stepped to change direction and not use the lane I had picked because had he stayed straight he would foul me(charge).
“Because of the change in direction, he went straight into my untucked elbow (the chicken wing its famously known as) and he clashed into me,” he said.
Online Reporter